The Right Words
by lovesnaruto7
Summary: Adrien Agreste and Marinette Dupain Cheng are 'Meant for each other' according to fate and their superhero lives. Sometimes fate gets things wrong, and with these two you can never tell. See what happens when they put fate to the test, with wrong actions and words one can only hope that they find the right words to keep them together. Adrienette. MariChat. Fluffy af.
1. Chapter 1:The Right Words

"Tikki! I'm so nervous! What do I do?" Marinette looked hopefully up at her Kwami and saw that Tikki shook her head at her.

"Just be yourself with him Marinette, if he doesn't love you for who you are, then he doesn't deserve you!" Tikki said smiling and Marinette felt her resolve strengthen.

They had been on this class school trip for what felt like a couple hours, and they had been exploring this large museum somewhere outside of Paris. Marinette Hidan behind a pillar and watched as Adrien talked with a crowd of girls.

If Marinette had known that other schools from around Paris would be attending at the same time, then she would've never left Adrien's side. So many girls wanted pictures with him, and they wanted to talk to him, he was swarmed.

Alya was in that group too, for whatever reason, and she watched as her best friend ever slung her arm around Adrien's shoulders.

"Sorry ladies," Alya started, and she smiled at her best friend, knowing full well that she was trying to save him from the crowd of screaming girls.

"But this hot model belongs to our classmate Marinette, so no touching." All the girls looked murderous, and Marinette covered her mouth to stifle her giggle.

"What are you talking about Alya?" Adrien's said, and at his voice, Marinette froze as well.

"Marinette's just a friend, nothing more, stop joking around Alya." Adrien's laugh echoed throughout the corridor and Marinette felt tears come to her eyes.

Why? She had heard that phrase before, so why now did she decide to cry? Was it because he choose to put 'nothing more' at the end of those words, or was it because it sorta felt final this time?

She dropped the red and black striped scarf she'd been carrying and ran forwards blindly, wiping at her eyes. She hit something solid and made to move around it quickly, not wanting to be seen.

Her arm was grabbed and she opened her eyes to finds a boy holding her arm, he was surrounded by people, and he looked positively worried.

"Hey, are you okay? Did you get hurt?" He bent down low, as if to shadow her teary eyes with his body. He had dark green eyes, like really dark green, and he had silky brown hair. He had a remarkable parlor next to Adrien's though.

"I'm fine, I just, I made a mistake and I'm kinda embarrassed about it." Was all she said as she bowed her head, a girl with pretty blue eyes, and blonde hair that reminded her of Chloe walked up and hugged her.

"It's okay, mistakes happen! I'm sure whatever you did can be easily repaired!" She said happily and pulled back, she smiled at the girl feeling just a slight bit better.

"Well-um see-I-uh-I am the person who would be hurt by my mistake-not anyone else." She bowed her head, and another girl walked up to her.

"Aww, that's okay too, seriously, everyone makes mistakes! It's fine! Just don't let it get to you!" She had stark green hair and red eyes, but they weren't creepy, she was actually quite pretty.

Marinette laughed and the two girls giggled with her. "Thank you, I think that's exactly what I needed." She looked up to see a crowd of smiling people around her, they all looked so friendly.

"So, what's your name? Mrs. 'I have a sense of fashion'?" The girl with green hair said, and Marinette felt elated at her comment.

"I'm Marinette Dupain-Cheng! It's nice to meet you!" She smiled at them and she wiped at her eyes.

These people were nice, and there was nothing wrong with making new friends.

"Nice to meet you Marinette! My name is Indila, and this" She gestured to the girl with green hair, "is Paige." They both waved at her encouragingly and Marinette stepped into their circle.

At school lately, she'd been feeling rather put out. No one would believe her when it came to Lila, and it hurt to see her friends all mad at her, at one point Alya wouldn't even talk to her. It kinda felt like they were just putting up with her. Was she selfish for feeling this way?

A tall boy with black hair stuck his hand out, he also had black eyes, but he didn't look well...he didn't look emo. "Nice to meet you, I'm Jasper." She shook his hand and smiled. Why were they all so inviting?

Another girl who was super enthusiastic sticker her hand out, she looked so pretty, her hair was in braids and she wore glasses, and a camera hung around her neck. "Hi! I'm Manon!" She smiled, and Marinette gasped.

"No way! I babysit a girl named Manon!" She smiled and they both laughed. Next up was another boy who had blonde hair, but it was a darker blonde.

"I'm Damien, it's a pleasure to meet you!" he bent down to kiss her hand and was promptly shoved out of the way by the boy who stopped her. He laughed as Damien host the ground and rolled. "Sorry bout' him, he's kinda a flirt."

A smaller call of "I resent that!" came from their left, and Marinette focused her attention on the boy in front of her.

More likely on his green eyes.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng, my name is Jack, and I hope that you would spend the day with us?" She blanched as he mock bowed. He wanted her to spend the day with their group of friends?

"Yeah Marinette!" Called Manon.

"Oh yes! I have to know where you got your clothes!" Indila said smiling.

"Let's do it! We'll cheer you up for sure!" Paige said happily.

"Fine by me." Said Jasper and he turned away.

"Yeah! Yeah! Let's take the pretty girl with us!" Damien said and they all shared a light laugh.

Marinette turned toward Jack, who had his hand still outstretched with a knowing smile on his face. She was internally debating, but she could hear Tikki's small voice from her handbag.

"Do it Marinette! Go have fun!" she smiled at them and took his hand.

They were all talking adamantly as they walked through the museum, all of the girls were on one side of Marinette and Jack stood on her other sided, all of the boys on his side.

They were asking her os many questions, like where she got her clothes, where did she go to school, did she have a boyfriend, what did she do for fun.

"I actually make my own clothes, I want to be a fashion designer when I graduate." She smiled and they all looked so fascinated that she made her own clothes.

"Jeez, if I picked up a needle I'd probably end up stabbing myself in the eye," Jack said as he swung both his arms around the people on his sides.

A.K.A Marinette and Damien.

Everyone laughed and they were all just so focused on enjoying life, and if was...

It was refreshing.

"Hey! Let's go to the food court outside! I'm starving!" Damien said and he pointed to the exit. Marinette was nervous, she didn't want to walk that way because her friends were all huddled in a group over there.

She stopped her feet and Jack turned to her. He looked where she was looking and bent down so he could look at her downcast face.

"Do you not want to eat?" he asked quietly, everyone else in their group watched silently.

"No, I want to eat, it's just...well, my friends are over there, and I don't want to see them right now...does that make sense?" She looked at him hopefully, and he nodded. He smiled and stood up straight, he reached for the hem of the hoodie he was wearing.

He pulled it up and over his head, and that gave every girl in the group the chance to see a very, _very_ nicely toned stomach.

Marinette blushed beyond belief at the sight and covered her face with her hands in embarrassment.

The hoodie found its way over her head and she looked up at him as he pulled it over her shoulders and instructed her to put her hands through the armholes.

She did it and he clapped his hands. "There see? Now we can go eat, let's go." Marinette gasped lightly as he pulled on her hand and guided her through the crowd of her friends. She kept her head down and pretended not to know any of them.

She bumped into one person and looked up, shocked to find Rose in front of her. "Oh, I'm sorry!" Rose said in her high pitched voice.

Marinette stood frozen, again. What was she supposed to say?! She suddenly felt a pull on her waist. "That's okay, just be more aware next time, okay?" he ruffled Rose's hair and pulled Marinette along by her waist.

"What was that?" She asked suspiciously. Feeling just a bit played.

"I have four younger sisters, so I know how to deal with those types of things. Forgive me if I made you uncomfortable." He released her waist and she smiled, he was very concerned about other people's feelings.

When she wasn't looking Manon shouted her name. She turned and found a picture was about to be taken.

"Marinette! Look!"

She smiled brightly and pressed into Jack, who smiled also. The picture gave off a bright flash and Marinette knew that day was a good day.

She slipped the hood of the hoodie off her head and smiled at her newfound friends.

Just a ways away Marinette's school friends watched as she walked away with a different group.

The call of Marinette's name had them all looking over there, and they had watched as she pressed herself next to someone that they didn't know, and smiled brightly for a picture.

Alya didn't understand, they'd been looking for Mari for the past thirty minutes! And she was off with other people! She was more hurt than anything.

Adrien didn't understand either, they couldn't find Marinette anywhere in the entire museum earlier, and she had gone and hung out with other people? He had never once heard of or seen those people.

They were looking for her because they were supposed to go eat lunch as a class, and most people had already left.

"Don't worry, I'll go grab Marinette." Adrien's said quickly and ran after the group of people. The rest fo the just stood there wondering what Marinette was doing.

"Oh my god, this is delicious!" Marinette exclaimed loudly, and bit into the multicolored macaroon again. Her parents' ones were better for sure, but it still tasted good.

She slipped one into her handbag for Tikki, and heard the delighted sound as her Kwami bit into it.

"I know right! But that one bakery has better ones. You remember what one I'm talking about right Jasper? We went there last week." Indila said to the taller boy. He thought for a second and nodded.

"You mean the one with the black and gold designs right?" Marinette blanched, they were talking about her family's bakery.

"You mean the Dupain-Cheng bakery?" Marinette added helpfully, stifling her laugh as realization dawned on their faces.

"You're the bakers' daughter!?" they all said simultaneously.

She nodded and turned as someone tapped her shoulder, dread filling her as she recognized the similar white overshirt.

"There you are Marinette! We've been looking for you, the class lunch is about to start soon and Mrs. Bustier told us to find you." Adrien's stated happily as he turned around to walk away.

Marinette didn't move, why were his words hurting her so much today? He didn't say, 'we were looking for you because we were worried.' It was 'Mrs. Bustier told us to find you.' She stifled her tears and held them back. She knew that he didn't know what he was saying, none of them did, but that didn't mean that they didn't hurt her.

"Adrien, I think I'm gonna stay here." Was all she said and she turned back to the picnic table that they all sat at, her head down.

She heard him stop, and she prepared for the worst. "Marinette, what are you talking about? We have to go now. Mrs. Bustier said that you have to go." She didn't say that, but Adrien knew that leaving Marinette here with these people wasn't a good idea.

"Adrien, please head to the bus, I will be right there." A voice called out from behind them and Marinette turned to find Mrs. Bustier standing there, one hand pushing Adrien towards the bus.

Marinette turned to her teacher, prepared to be scolded. "Marinette, may I please speak to you privately?" She nodded and got up, her newfound friends worried gazes on her.

"Marinette dear, do you not want to come to the lunch?" Mrs. Bustier put her hands on Marinette's shoulders.

"Mrs. Bustier, I just-! I don't want to be around everyone today! And with Lila and-!" She shook her head confusedly and Mrs. Bustier pulled her in for a hug.

"It's okay Marinette, I understand. Just be back at the train station in two hours, that's when we have to leave." Mrs. Bustier smiled at her and Marinette ran off with a smile on her face that the teacher had not seen in a long time.

A pair of triumphant eyes watched Marinette from the bus window, she smirked when the girl didn't get back on the bus and they began to take off.

"Mrs. Bustier! Where's Marinette?" Adrien asked worriedly.

"She will be meeting us at the train station in two hours, until then, however, she will be joining a different school on their field trip." Mrs. Bustier sat down and Adrien was left to watch a smiling Marinette as they pulled away from the museum.

_What is this feeling? _He thought as he clenched the fabric above his heart.

~*~*~*~

When it came time to say goodbye to her new friends, Marinette wasn't sad. They had assured her that their school was not that far from her own, and they all exchanged numbers, and she had no idea how Manon had managed it but the picture they took earlier was printed out and Marinette put it behind her clear phone case so she could look at it.

"Thank you all so much! Today was so much fun!" She hugged each and every one of them, save for Jasper who merely patted her head fondly.

"I can't wait to hang out with you again Marinette! We have to plan a sleepover!" All of the girls chorused in agreement, and Marinette heard the warning that her train would be leaving soon.

"Oh!" She said as she went to slip Jack's hoodie off and return it to him, but his hand on her head stopped her.

"You can keep it, for now, return it to me the next time we see each other." He turned her around and whispered in her ear as he pushed her towards her train. "I'll be waiting."

She launched herself into the train and took the closest open seat. She sighed as she leaned her head back, closing her eyes.

_He said there'd be a next time!_ She squealed internally at the mere thought.

She hadn't noticed that she'd taken a seat next to Adrien, or how exhausted she was. She put in her headphones and played music until she was dozing off.

Adrien, however, noticed her appearance, well more precisely the hoodie that she wore. He was so focused on glaring at the hoodie that he nearly jumped out of his seat when Marinette fell into his lap. She didn't seem perturbed at all.

Her head rested on his far leg and he smiled softly down at her sleeping form.

He wondered if he'd be crossing a line if he took her hair out-he'd only seemed it once, but he had craved to see it free again. It was just so beautiful when it was down.

He very lightly pulled on one of her ribbons and her hair fell down her back, he did so with the other too. He reveled in the softness of it before he ran his fingers through it.

He closed his eyes as he continued to run his fingers through her hair, losing himself in it. He wasn't even comprehending what he was doing.

He fell asleep repeating the motion, with Marinette's head in his lap, and a warm feeling in his chest.

**_~*~*~*~_**

**_Ooo wow, I have no idea what the hell I'm doing. Busy here but here it is! A Miraculous Ladybug fanfic yep._**

**_This is an Adrienette and a slight Marichat, so yea, she won't be with anyone else._**

**_Because Adrienette is endgame_**


	2. Chapter 2: What a Way to Ruin Plans!

Marinette had been spared having to speak to Adrien at the end of the train ride, due to Mrs. Bustier-which she was eternally grateful for. She could praise the woman, it was just so awkward and Marinette berated herself relentlessly on her way home for falling asleep on him-she was angry at him.

He'd said those words as if she didn't have feelings, and as if she couldn't hear. Or word wouldn't make it's way back to her-she was sure Chloe would be sure to mention it when they got back to school next week.

But instead of focusing on Adrien, she thought of her newfound friends, she still couldn't get over the fact that they were still so nice! Their school was the opposite direction of the Dupain-Cheng bakery than Marinette's was, and to be honest, Marinette had no idea that there even was a school that way.

When she got home, she was greeted with hugs from her parents and she made her way upstairs, Tikki quickly flew out of her purse.

"Wow, Marinette! Not only are you good at saving the day, you're also good at making new friends!" Tikki quickly took in her masters' downcast expression and stopped talking.

"Marinette what's wrong?" Tikki held her masters' hand as Marinette sat on her chaise, she took off the hoodie slowly and held it in her hands.

"I don't know Tikki," Marinette nuzzled her Kwami's cheek as she grasped the hoodie tighter. "I feel," She took a deep breath. "I feel, like, like I did something wrong." She looked down and took another deep breath. Tikki settled in her lap as Marinette sat back against her chaise.

She felt tears gather in her eyes for an unknown reason. And she thought of Adrien, how he looked when she'd woken up, to find him still sleeping, peaceful and with his hands in her hair.

She wished, oh how did she wish, for her love to be requited. She wanted him to feel the same, she wanted to see him look at her with eyes of love and passion. She wanted him to hold her and kiss her, and do everything that sounded just like a dream.

She was sobbing now, tears fell from her eyes as she thought of that non-existent fantasy. Tikki sat on her shoulder, hugging the side of her neck as Marinette cried.

"Marinette, if you aren't happy," Tikki started as her master buried her face into her huddled knees, she gasped loudly for air, her tears not allowing her to do so. "Then maybe it's time to move on..." Tikki's words were true, and they made it harder to stop crying.

"He doesn't deserve you Marinette..." Tikki knew full well what she was doing when she said those words. But no matter how much Master Fu wished it, he couldn't persuade a broken heart. And Tikki would not let Marinette fall into something where no happiness laid for her.

Marinette cried herself to sleep that night, burying her head into her pillow to stifle her sobs didn't make her feel any better.

The many texts she received form Alya, Nino, Rose, Juleka, and Adrien throughout the night didn't help her sleep either.

Eventually, she just turned her phone off and fell asleep with tears in her eyes. Wishing for a better day tomorrow.

She didn't see the shadow that watched her through her window, or how he touched the glass longingly with trembling fingers.

When she woke up the next morning Marinette found that she felt just a bit better, perhaps crying had made her feel better. Letting your emotions out is better for you after all.

She sat up-careful not to wake Tikki- and reached for her phone as she got out of bed. She blinked as she turned it on, she had 23 missed calls from Alya alone, 2 from Rose, 1 from Juleka, none from Nino- unsurprising- and 4 from Adrien.

Which was a surprise.

Not looking at them though, she had 4 missed calls from Indila, 7 from Manon, 2 from Paige, none from Jasper-unsurprising- 2 from Damien, and 5 from Jack.

The kindness her friends showed her warmed her heart, it really did.

But looking at texts she had a TON of those to look through.

She went to Jack first, wanting to see what he said.

_**Jack**_

_Hey, I hope you gave me a real number_

_This is Marinette's phone number right?_

_Marinette I was joking, I don't think you'd give me a fake number._

_Are you okay?_

_Marinette?_

She was so warmed by his words, he was worried about her!

_**Marinette**_

_I'm sorry Jack! I fell asleep and my phone was turned off!_

_and no I wouldn't give you a fake number you dork!_

While she wanted to know what he had to say, she also had to text other people.

She went to Indila first

**_Indila_**

_Hey there fashion chick! what's poppin? ~_

_Marinette? Well maybe you're eating dinner or something, but tomorrow the gang is hanging at the park, and we were wondering if you wanted to go?_

**_Marinette_**

_That sounds like so much fun! Sure! What time do I have to be there?_

She got an instant reply from Indila.

**Indila**

_How bout 1:30 ish? We can go swimming too, it's supposed to be really nice today!_

**_Marinette_**

_That sounds great! I'll see you then!_

**_Indila_**

_See you then fashion chick!_

She liked talking to Indila, she was nice and beautiful, but she didn't flaunt it. She was kinda a dork, but in the best way possible.

She went to look at Alya's texts, but she couldn't bring herself to do it, she couldn't click on her best friend's name, or Adrien's name, or Rose's or Juleka's. She felt guilty again, but at the same time, she felt happy.

She got to do things with people who welcomed her, not friends that she thought she could depend on, and then they went and called her a liar, and as hard as she tried to push the thoughts away, they kept invading.

She sighed as she walked over to get dressed. She looked out her window, and found it to look blazing outside. A hot Saturday, and she didn't think she'd be able to wear her normal outfit again today.

So she threw apart her dresser and looked for something to wear. She almost sighed in relief when she found the dress that she'd had in mind. Typically she didn't wear dresses-they were a bit impractical when it came to being Ladybug.

It was a light lavender, and went nicely with her hair, which she brushed out when she finally got done getting dressed. She contemplated throwing it back into her usual hairstyle, but she decided against it.

She was feeling a bit more adventurous than usual, so she put it up into a bun that her mother taught her about, her bangs shaped her face nicely in the mirror.

The sundress tied behind her shoulders and she felt just so beautiful, she felt like just putting in that little bit of effort really made that big difference.

"Tikki are you ready to go?" She grabbed her handbag, which she was happy that it went with her dress, and watched as her Kwami woke up slowly.

Tikki wasn't a morning person either, so she woke up slowly and watched in astonishment as Marinette picked her up and set her down in her bag.

It was already 12:30, so she had an entire hour left, and she wanted to go for a walk, she never really got to just look at Paris anymore, all she was ever doing was jumping from roof to roof.

She set out to walk to a park that was farther than the one right next to her home-this one had more water sights than regular parks. She'd never been, and today was looking out to be a day for trying new things, so she set off, giving her parents kisses and hugs as she did so.

She made it about halfway there before her phone started to ring. She was surprised and took it out of her bag. Tikki looked up at her worriedly as she pulled it out.

Alya

Alya was calling her again. She still felt the lingering guilt from earlier, and as she reached down to answer it, she stopped. She couldn't bring herself to tell her best friend that she wanted to be alone, that she didn't want to talk to her right now.

But it had to be done, because she couldn't keep avoiding Alya. And by god, she wasn't Ladybug if she didn't pick up this phone!

She quickly hit answer as she sat down on a bench, trying desperately not to trip, her trembling legs made it hard to do so.

"Marinette! I'm so happy that you answered! I was worried sick about you girl!" Alya said into the phone, the relief clear in her voice.

Marinette let out a breath that she didn't know she was holding in, Alya was just worried about her! She had no idea why she was so worried!

"I'm sorry Alya, yesterday I just wasn't feeling all that well." She answered lamely, 'not feeling all that well' didn't even begin to cover it.

She heard Alya sigh over the line-it almost sounded disgusted- and then a small giggle from her. "That's alright girl! Hey I have a question, are you busy today?" Alya said it quickly and completely nonchalantly.

"Uh, why?" She responded lamely-yes she was busy today is what she should've said.

"Lila invited us all to a party, she just got back from America where she was helping raise funds for homeless animals. She's so brave." Marinette couldn't help her internal thoughts -_liar, that sounds fake even to me_\- she quietly snorted so Alya wouldn't hear.

"So I was wondering if you wanted to go, Lila said that I could bring a friend, oh wait-did you already get an invite from Lila? I guess I shouldn't ask for you to come with me when you're already gonna be there!" Alya laughed and Marinette winced visibly.

No, she hadn't received an invite from Lila, and she didn't plan on being someone's runner-up for an invite to a bitchy liars' party. She knew how her best friend thought of Lila-that she was the best person in the world because she did all these **_extravagant_** things-so she wouldn't say anything about Lila being a liar this time.

She gave up.

"No, I don't want to go," She said it probably too quickly. "Goodbye Alya." She hung up and shoved her phone back into her bag, narrowly missing Tikki. She rubbed at her arm awkwardly, still feeling a little guilty.

Something in her honestly made her feel that the person on the other end of that line wasn't her best friend.

She quickly pushed those thoughts away. Alya could go be buddy-buddy with Lila all she wanted, but Marinette would never play Lila's little game.

"Marinette, are you okay? What did Alya say?" Tikki whispered loudly from her bag, she smiled down at her Kwami, Tikki was always so concerned for Marinette's health. She couldn't have asked for a better partner.

"Everything's fine Tikki, it's nothing."

She made her way down a flight of stairs, wanting to walk by the river, and she smiled. She had never been totally alone, without responsibilities, even when she had been younger her parents wanted her help always in the bakery.

So today was a day for herself, and she planned on enjoying it to the fullest. She had fully planned on doing that, until she was almost crushed by a crowd of people.

"Hey!" She screamed, being crushed was definitely not on the agenda today, so she quickly made her way around the crowd of people, going as far to go up and away from the river.

She sighed as she walked silently through a short cut, people were being a bit loud today and she couldn't deny that she had a headache. She stretched her arms up, in hopes of getting her blood flowing again, but she felt a yank on her hand and she gasped as she was pulled behind a corner.

Her mind screamed at her to do something and she heard a shushing noise as she was pulled up next to a wall, someone's hand was over her mouth and the other was next to her head.

"Please don't scream! I promise I'm not gonna-Marinette?" The voice startled her and she looked up through the dim light at the shining green eyes of Adrien Agreste. She felt her heart hammer against her chest at how close he was, and his breath ghosted across her face as he breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm so sorry Marinette!"He whispered quietly but happily. "You know the drill though, crazy fan mob!" he laughed lightly and she couldn't deny that she loved the way his eyes lit up as they landed on her own.

She didn't dare move, she had no idea why. She was mad at him for goodness sakes! But her body told her to stay still, to play prey right now, and maybe she might escape without damage.

They didn't say another word-to be fair Adrien's hand was over her mouth still- but they stayed in that position. The crowd completely ignored their presence as they ran by, and it felt like her world was spinning.

Why did her heart hurt so much? Why did it clench as he removed his hand and instead placed it beside her head just like his other? She wanted to cry, why were her emotions being like this?!

She didn't know if she wanted him to stay right there, or if she wanted him to get away. Her head hurt and she felt so lightheaded, she moaned as a huge wave of nausea hit her. What was happening to her?

"Marinette! Are you okay!?" Adrien quickly grabbed her anywhere he could that wouldn't violate anything. She felt so sick all of a sudden, what was wrong with her? Was it because of Adrien?

She pushed his hands away as she slid to the cold stone beneath her. She needed space, she wanted air. Tears formed in her eyes, this was so embarrassing, and it was just a terrible thing to have happen in front of anyone really.

"Just hold on Marinette, it'll be okay." His voice was soothing and she tried with all her might to believe in the words that he said. He sat next to her, and he draped one arm over her shoulder, she thought she saw him pull his phone out.

"I've got you, Princess."

_What? _She thought internally.

"Natalie, I need your help." Was all he said, and Marinette didn't really pay attention after that. She was too focused on calming down, but before she knew it the clopping of heels approached them.

"Is this her Adrien?" a steady voice said, and she felt him shift next to her as he nodded. She could barely make out the feel of his hand on her neck, holding her steady against him.

"Alright, let's get her up and-! Ahh!" A small cry of pain left the older woman as she tried to pick up the girl, the sudden pain flashes were back. Adrien looked on worriedly as Natalie breathed in deeply trying to soothe the pain.

"Natalie, please don't push yourself, I can carry Marinette, just please, be careful." She must be dreaming, Adrien? Carrying her?

_Yeah right..._

She unknowingly lolled her head against his chest in her delirious state and groaned.

She didn't even get to feel him pick her up before she passed out.

When she did wake up, the first thing that she noticed was that she was definitely not in her bed. It smelled completely different, and the fabric felt way different too. She shifted but didn't get up, it was just so comfortable, and the pillow felt like heaven.

"Mhhhmm." She groaned as she sat up-knowing that she'd have to sometime-she let the blanket pool at her waist, and she noticed the her hair was out of the bun she'd placed it in this morning.

But another thought occurred to her. Where was Tikki!? She looked around frantically for her bag, and she didn't even look at the room that she was in, she just really needed to find her bag.

"Tikki!" She whisper-yelled, she stepped out onto the floor and found that her bag was placed on a couch that was in front of a large wide-screen TV. She grabbed it quickly and opened it. She nearly screamed when she didn't see Tikki in there.

"Tikki!" She called louder now, wishing on every god out there that Tikki wasn't taken out of her bag and she had just left of her own violation.

That she was safe.

A red whizzing caught her attention as Tikki came from an upper level of the bedroom, she quickly hugged her Kwami, feeling so relieved.

"Oh Tikki I was so worri-"

"Marinette?" She froze, looking over her shoulders at Adrien as he entered the bedroom, from what appeared to be the bathroom.

She quickly hid Tikki behind her back and she heard the small whizzing sound as Tikki zipped into her bag.

"Adrien? Wait, w-what? Why are you here? Or I mean uh, why am I here? No um, where is here?" She finished lamely, and she resisted the urge to smack her head against a wall.

He smiled softly at her and stepped in front of her, he placed his hands on her shoulders, and it was only then that Marinette noticed the sun was setting.

"Marinette I was so worried about you." He said, and she felt her eyes widen involuntarily.

_What? What is he saying?_ She thought as her heart increased speed dramatically, she felt her face get red.

"When you collapsed I didn't know what to do, you looked so sick, and in pain." He looked her right in her eyes and they looked tired.

"I called Natalie immediately, and I took you back to my home, because I felt better knowing that you were here." He sighed softly as he closed his eyes, he let his head fall forward, and suddenly his hands felt so hot on her shoulders.

"You scared me," He said it so quietly she almost didn't hear it. "I didn't know what to do." He was repeating his words from earlier, like he didn't know what else to say, his voice was so small and pitiful.

"Please," he met her eyes, and she felt his right hand shift to the side of her neck. "Never do that again." She looked deeply into his eyes, she found only fear and relief there, the green sparked beautifully with the sunset, and she gasped as his words registered.

She felt the tears again, and she nodded at him as she let tears fall from her eyes. She promised that after today, she would never cry so much again. She hiccuped and gave a small meek sob.

_How could I have doubted you?_ She thought as he looked worried again, he wiped away her tears, and he was saying words that she couldn't hear.

_Why did I doubt you?_ Her thoughts continued to go on as her heart drummed against her chest, she was afraid it might pop out.

_I love you, how could I?_ She lurched forward and hugged him, burying her head into his chest as he fell rigid, as if he didn't know what to do.

She grasped at the back of his shirt with one hand, and the other blindly reached for something, anything to hold onto. Why? Why was she doing this? She was distraught at his words from yesterday still, but she thought that she should get this one thing.

She felt fingers interlace with her own. His hand was big, and warm, and just...just...

So wonderful.

She felt his other hand pull her closer as he intertwined his hand in her hair. He pulled her to him and buried his face into the crook of her neck, he just sat there, and Marinette did nothing but let more tears fall from her eyes.

Being like this just reminded her of how it would never be a reality.


	3. Chapter 3: Sleepovers for the Fluffy

Marinette had apologized profusely to her friends about not hanging out with them, saying that 'something had come up' made her cringe even as she was typing it.

She was still at Adrien's house, but it was later than usual, and whenever Marinette told him that she should be heading home, Natalie stopped her.

"I apologize if this inconveniences you Ms. Dupain-Cheng, but your parents have been contacted and have asked that you stay here for the night." Marinette visibly gaped.

They did NOT

_Oh! I knew it! Mom loves to meddle! Why didn't I see this coming!?_

"Well, that's okay, right Marinette?" Adrien placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled at her.

He was more or less unaffected by what had transpired earlier, but despite his laid back approach towards Marinette, she was so jumpy around him he was beginning to wonder if something was wrong.

She was still thinking about what had happened earlier, the memory was fresh in her mind, along with her embarrassment. She blushed every time she even made eye contact with Adrien, he'd even asked her if she was sick twice already.

"Uh, well, I mean yeah? But w-what about Mr. Agreste!? Surely he would want me to go home?" She looked between Natalie and Adrien, seeing their confused looks. "Right?" She finished, a nervous look on her face.

Natalie gave a rare smile and put her hand on Marinette's other shoulder. "He's out of town right now, he won't be back until Monday, just when you two return to school." She nodded her head at Adrien and set the clipboard down on a nearby table.

"So for today, this shall remain a secret." She went to go to the other room, but she didn't get the chance. Adrien ran forward and hugged her tightly, pressing his face just above her heart. The smile he had on was just dazzling.

"Thank you Natalie!" She looked so appalled that he had hugged her, but when her shock wore off she hugged him back, a happy smile on her face as well. "Thank you..."

There was something so sweet about the whole thing, and Marinette couldn't help herself when she took her phone out and snapped a few pictures.

She could tell that Natalie loved Adrien a lot, and she knew that having pictures made things all the more real, so she would give Natalie the best picture out of the bunch that she had!

As a thank you for giving her this night.

"Of course Adrien," Natalie said as she pulled back and looked at the tall muscular man that stood behind Marinette this whole time. She nodded at him and he nodded back, he gave Marinette quite the jump when she realized that he was there.

He smiled knowingly at her and suddenly she got embarrassed over her actions from earlier. She'd been caught! Being caught when doing something like that was always so embarrassing, and Marinette couldn't help the pretty blush that flitted across her cheeks.

"Come'on Marinette! Let's go!" Adrien smiled with his eyes closed and his teeth showing as he grabbed her hand quickly and practically dragged her up the stairs. She couldn't help but think that his real smile was so much better than his model smile.

When they made it back to his room Marinette took everything in, she hadn't been able to do so earlier, and found that she wanted to check out his selection of books and games and movies.

She reminded herself to relax before she spoke to him, she didn't want to look stupid. She took a couple deep breaths before she opened her mouth. "Adrien? Can I look at your video games and movies?" She internally cheered, she'd done it! She'd talked to Adrien and she hadn't made a fool of herself!

_Score: 1 Marinette, 1000000000000000000 Anxiety._

_Oh yeah, it's all coming together._ She smiled at her own thoughts and was happy that Adrien seemed to have the same idea.

"Sure! Let's do what you want! I wouldn't even know what to do!" She was a bit confused by his choice of words, wouldn't know what to do?

She made her way to the stairs, still feeling his eyes on her. "What do you mean you wouldn't know what to do?" She made her way up the large spiraling staircase and looked over the edge at him.

He looked at his feet and she could've sworn that his face was tinted pink, and he shuffled around nervously for a few seconds. "Well, I've never had a friend stay the night, Nino's hung out with me in the day before, but no one has ever stayed the night." She gaped at him and clearly she wasn't hiding it, because he looked very confused at her gaze.

"Is that..weird?" He said it so casually, albeit a bit nervously, but nonetheless, he'd said it like it was nothing!

Marinette had been having sleepovers since she was like 5!

With a face of determination, she marched back down those stairs and straight up to Adrien. All and any nervousness or anxiety was gone now, and in its place was a raw and sheer determination to make this Adrien's best night ever!

"Adrien, we are having a sleepover! I'm gonna show you everything! Promise!" She stuck her pinky out without thinking-it was something she and Alya did, she didn't care if it was childish.

He looked so surprised and at the same time, so grateful. He'd never told anyone that before, that he'd never had a sleepover, not even Nino, he was a bit embarrassed to admit it to his best friend.

But there was something about talking to Marinette, that just made the words spill out of his mouth, and it filled him with relief that she hadn't judged him.

He smiled so wide at her and he wrapped his pinky around her much smaller one, he felt heat rush to his cheeks at her consideration for him, and his heart thumped happily in his chest.

She was such a good friend.

**_(Fourth wall break real quick-all of you are screaming at him in ur heads too right? -Author-Chan out)_**

"A-ahem." Marinette slowly pulled her pinky away and dusted her hands on her dress-and yes she was still wearing her dress, but she would never ask Adrien if he had clothes she could wear, she was too embarrassed.

"Okay, first we need to go to the kitchen!" She announced and he looked positively flabbergasted as to why she would need to go to the kitchen, but he didn't say anything as he made his way to his door.

They slowly made their way through the dark hallways, no one was awake and all the lights were off, so that meant that they had to be even more quiet.

Marinette had to admit, Adrien had a lovely kitchen. It was big and had so many appliances-there was like three stoves! While Marinette marveled at the size of it Adrien stood against the counter and watched her, still curious as to why they were here.

He heard the footsteps approaching before Marinette did apparently, almost frantically grabbed her wrist and pulled her behind the large quartz counter that lay in the middle of the room.

He was so nervous, hoping that it was just a couple of maids and not who he thought it was.

But being the bearer of the bad luck Miraculous that he was, Adrien's prayers were left to rot in a hole as Natalie stepped into the kitchen.

Her hair was out and it cascaded out down her back, her phone was next to her ear and she was smiling softly as she talked to the person on the other line.

"He's in bed, he was feeling particularly exhausted today, so he went to bed early." She said as she leaned her arms against the countertop.

They couldn't hear who was on the other line, but whoever it was clearly was making Natalie's night.

She smiled even wider as she continued to talk, and it was only then that Marinette took account of her position with Adrien. He had pulled her down whenever Natalie had approached, and she was in between his legs as he kneeled.

"I will, don't worry sir." Marinette almost didn't hear the last word that Natalie had said, and she felt her eyes bulge as she figured out who it was exactly that Natalie was talking to.

"I'm sorry Gabriel, it's a force of habit, but you know that I can't call you by your name always, it's..." she sounded sad and stressed as she said the next word. "unprofessional..." Marinette looked at Adrien, only to see his face was completely astonished.

"Yes, I will handle everything, goodnight...Gabriel..." she even hesitated just then before she said his name! She couldn't help herself so she looked back at Adrien's face to see if it looked as astonished as the first time.

But a blinding smile met her eyes and he had such a glint in them that she could tell he was so entirely happy by this revelation.

"I will, sweet dreams..." Natalie put her phone down from her ear and set it down on the counter. She sighed out loud and gave a happy little laugh and a smile that Marinette could practically feel from here even though she couldn't see her.

Natalie left right afterward and she and Adrien stood, their legs cracking as they got up. She looked at Adrien excitedly, this whole thing was so sweet! She had seen earlier that Natalie loved and cared for Adrien a lot, and now to find out that she sooooo had feelings for Mr. Agreste!? Marinette wanted to scream in all her fangirlish glee! Adrien's looked just as excited and he was smiling so brightly it was crazy.

"Oh, Adrien I'm so happy for you!" She knew that he didn't have a mother anymore, and she just hoped that Natalie could help to rekindle that flame within him.

"I'm so happy too! I can't believe father wants her to call him by his name, he never does that! The mayor doesn't even call him by his name!" They both laughed and they quieted themselves before sharing secretive smiles.

"It's all thanks to you Marinette, if you hadn't been here, I would've never known." He smiled at her again and she was quickly beginning to realize that having Adrien's full attention wasn't good for her heart.

"Well," she gave him a shy smile and felt her face flush as she pushed away her anxiety, "you saved me today, and this is the least I could do in my thanks..." she barely hesitated before she set her hand on top of his own.

He looked at her hand in wonderment, before he glanced back over at her with his beautiful green eyes and gave a slight smile.

He flipped his hand over and all Marinette could do was blush as he squeezed her hand gently.

"Trust me," he did as he wove his fingers through her own. "You've done more than enough, but do tell me, your _shyness_," _Oh god here comes the pun_, she internally smiled at his antics. "What's got you so happy?" Had he just called her 'your highness' technically? He had and she would treasure it forever she decided.

"Perhaps it's because I'm in the presence of a fool." She smiled as he gave her a challenging look, and she squealed when he made chase. They ran around the kitchen, dodging each other, and making comebacks back and forth, both of them smiling and laughing the whole time.

Eventually, Marinette made the mistake of falling into his trap, and she gave a quiet scream as she was caught from behind the waist, and Adrien laughed loudly as he lifted her up and spun her around.

"Ha! I win your _shyness_! What will you do now!?" He gave a fake evil laugh as Marinette dramatically threw a hand over her eyes, Adrien set her down on the counter as she began to speak.

"I'll be forced to listen to cheesy puns foreverrrrrrrr! Nooooooooooo!" She gave a dramatic wail as Adrien laughed loudly. They weren't even paying attention to how loud they were being anymore.

Which had led to six pairs of amused eyes watching them as five maids and one very important assistant watched them through the crack in the dining-room door.

Adrien still had Marinette on the counter and he placed his arms on the outside of her thighs, still laughing and trying to catch his breath. He looked up at Marinette, but she wasn't laughing anymore, instead, she was looking at him with such eyes that it almost had him blushing under her stare.

"Marinette are you okay?" But his words fell on deaf ears, for Marinette wasn't paying attention, she was memorizing the lines of his face. Everything, the little dimples, and dents, to her, everything was just gorgeous about him. His hair, and how it fell just above his unbelievable eyes that sparkled when he was happy or excited.

Everything.

She was just looking at him, she wanted to take him all in, and in her daze, she had grazed her fingers against his cheek. She wasn't paying attention to the look on his face, or how his body stepped closer to her and slid in between her legs.

She touched along his jaw fondly and made her way to his eyes, he always had such beautiful eyes to her, and she oh so lightly touched his eyelashes as she looked deeply into his eyes.

She was lost in him.

Completely and utterly.

She licked her lips subconsciously and Adrien's eyes snapped to her lips and he swallowed thickly. He parted his lips as his hot breath escaped and it hit her right in the face, waking her from her stupor.

She sat back, but she could find no subtle way to remove her hands from his face as she did so. "Adrien I-" he stepped closer as she pulled back, and he pulled her toward him, he took a couple of deep breaths as he hid his red face in her chest **_(when I say chest I do not mean boobs XD) _**his heart was beating a mile a minute.

"Thank you." he smiled and let out his breath.

"For tonight..."

Was she hearing wrong?

"And for everything you've ever given me..." Was all he could think of to say and she felt her own heart increase dramatically in speed as he said those words. She hoped to god that he couldn't hear her heart!

Which, he totally could, and he was delighted to find that it was beating as fast as his own was.

She didn't move as he continued to hug her, but she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding in. She wrapped her arms around his head and began to stroke his hair in a comforting gesture. "Always Adrien..." she had no idea what it was about this day, but she was marking it on her calendar when she got home that was for damn sure.

"Always..." she whispered into his hair, and he let out a contented smile as those words reached his ears.

All of the maids let out quiet 'awwwws' and Natalie simply stood there, stumped.

_There is obviously something between those two._ Was all she thought as she went back to bed.

They had decided to watch something that neither of them had ever seen before, it was called 'Tangled' and it was clearly a Princess movie, but Adrien didn't care. He was also very surprised that when she'd wanted to go to the kitchen, she'd wanted to make popcorn. Which he'd only ever had at theaters.

"This is something that you do at sleepovers, you eat popcorn, you watch movies, you build forts, you have pillow fights, stuff like that!" Marinette said happily, but when she'd said fort he'd look confused beyond belief.

"Please tell me you've built a fort before right?" She said desperately. And he shook his head 'no'. Marinette sighed and pressed play on the movie as she got to work, but her clothes were really starting to bother her.

Adrien must've taken notice of her discomfort at her clothes-or more likely the hateful glare she'd given them- and he put a hand on her own when she went to grab his blanket.

"Marinette, you can borrow clothes if you want? I'll go grab more blankets and pillows and stuff while you change." He didn't even give her the chance to say no, because he was already digging through his clothes.

_Score: 1 Marinette, 1000000000000000001 Anxiety..._

He pulled out one of his black shirts, but this one was a bit, well longer...

"The tailor messed up on this one, he's kinda old and he mistook me for someone very tall! Guess he read my measurements wrong!" He said happily as he handed her the shirt.

But there was just one problem.

He hadn't given her anything to wear as a bottom part! Sure it reached down to her knees probably, but that was beside the point!

He didn't seem to realize his mistake, and he just looked at her confusedly as she didn't move, he was probably wondering what was taking her so long!

"Um, Adrien? Do-ahem-do you have any-_oh god this is so embarrassing_-do you have any shorts or something I could wear underneath!?" It came out as an almost unintelligible loud sentence that had Marinette covering her face as it turned scarlet.

Everything was quiet and she hadn't even noticed until Adrien began to speak again, panicked. "I'm so sorry Marinette! I hadn't even-I mean-I-! I'm sorry!" He quickly ran back over to his dresser as Marinette clutches the shirt in her hands.

He brought back a pair of basketball shorts that were a shining green, it reminded her of Chat Noir's eyes. She smiled as she thought of her silly kitty, she hoped that he wouldn't be disappointed if she didn't show up for patrol tonight either.

They didn't say anymore as she went into his very beautiful bathroom, and she began to change. Her face heated up as she slipped Adrien's shirt on over her head-this time without her undergarments**_ (do NOT judge her, have you ever SLEPT in a bra before?!)_** and she slipped the shorts over her thighs and found that she felt incredibly small in his clothes.

They were just so big! And-she sniffed his shirt-they smelled amazing! Probably just like him! She ignored the sounds of moving furniture from outside the door as she took in his scent for who knew how long. She almost squealed but a knock from the door she was leaning on made her stop.

"Marinette are you okay? I found more blankets and the movie is playing." She took a deep breath, she was still proud of herself for today. She'd been very brave, and she had not made Adrien think that she hated him!

She turned and opened the door, and came face with a smiling Adrien.

"Oh good I thought that maybe they didn't..." his eyes drifted across her body and she felt self-consciousness hit her like no other-like a sack of bricks really to sum it up.

"Thank you for the clothes! They are very comfy, you said you got more blankets?" He didn't say anything, it was like he was in his own little world, but his eyes still drifted across her Agreste clothing clad body.

"You..you look, um, you look good." He said it and for some reason, he could practically _feel_ the teasing he was gonna get from Plagg later about his choice of wording.

She flushed. "Thank you..." she said as she looked at her feet as they suddenly became very interesting.

After a bout of silence, Adrien grabbed her hand and walked toward what he'd set up. He'd even made a roof for it. He'd moved his couch away so that the could see the TV from the floor. And Marinette smiled at him as he smiled back at her.

" I put the extra blankets on the floor, and the popcorn is under there too." He scratched the back of his head, and Marinette almost completely forgot that she was holding his hand.

"You know for someone who's never made a fort before, you are really good at it!" She laughed and her hand easily slipped out of his own and she went under the blanket that made up the roof.

"Why thank you Princess!" He laughed and Marinette almost stopped, but she decided to let it slide. She was afraid that if she said anything he'd stop with the nicknames all together, and she didn't want that.

They watched 'Tangled' and they laughed almost all the way through, and at the end, Adrien got up to grab another. "What do you want to do now Marinette?-!" He looked down at her and found her to be sound asleep, smiling as she turned onto her side.

He smiled as she did so, and quietly walked over and shut the TV off, and the lights and the DVD player. He slipped back under the makeshift fort and gazed down at Marinette as the moon lit her in a silvery glow. He breathed in deeply and he couldn't keep the soft almost loving smile off his face.

He brushed away a few streaks that seemed to block her vision in her sleep and let his hand trail to her hair, he stroked it softly, and without thinking, he swooped down and pressed his lips to her forehead.

It lasted for but a moment, but it felt like an eternity.

He pulled back immediately and felt so appalled that he would do such a thing that he turned crimson. He brought a hand to his lips, and felt like he had violated her somehow.

But that still brought the question to his mind.

Why did it feel so _right_ if _he_ felt so _wrong_ about doing it?

Dreams of a bluebell-eyed beauty danced through his head that night, and with them came a hand in his own, their fingers intertwined, outside the realm of dreams.

**_~*~*~*~_**

**_Omg actual cringe. I'm so sorry I couldn't help it when I went full fluff! I want to hear more from you guys so review please!_**

**_Also, side note, pay attention to the little details in this story, because they will come in handy later!_**

**_And yea ur girl is a huge GabeNath fangirl, sue me._**


	4. Chapter 4: Hip Problems and Kitty Cat's

Marinette had been thinking over everything that had happened at Adrien's house for almost a week now, and she was getting nowhere with herself. School had been canceled on Monday, after a declaration that the entire week was to be one to celebrate his little girl's birthday. Chloe's birthday had been convenient for her, she had gotten an entire week off now, and there had not been one Akuma attack-which actually worried her.

She had also been concerned with Hawk Moth's Kwami Nooroo, but she had not made it around to checking in with Master Fu this whole week, which was a bit irresponsible of her as well. Her mind drifted back to her time with Adrien in the kitchen, everything had seemed so natural, it just seemed to happen for them, and Marinette couldn't deny that when she was with him inexplicable happiness came over her. His smile that night had been in her head all the time lately. He was happy too she could tell, to be around her, and that made a smile blossom on her face.

"Oh, Adrien..." She said quietly as she put dishes away. She was here alone today, the Mayor had asked her parents to cater the event specifically, and she had no doubt that Chloe made sure that she wouldn't be there with them. She had been in charge of the house and was positively bored out of her mind. What she wouldn't do for some company, but she kinda needed the alone time for a bit.

Humming she continued to put things away, but she heard a thump come from upstairs, pausing she turned her head up, but she quickly shook off the ridiculous thought that someone was upstairs.

"Pfft, no one's gonna break into my house." She said quietly and she gave a giggle and turned around, only to find an amused pair of glowing green eyes staring mischievously at her.

"AHHHHH!" She screamed as she threw herself backward, hitting her hip harshly on the counter as she did so. Her eyes went wide as the pain flooded through her system.

"Oh, sugar snaps!" She said loudly and gave a quiet squeal of pain as her hip screamed at her to stop moving.

Laughter reached her ears as she turned angrily at the person who had caused her such pain. Chat Noir couldn't be less like himself as he hunched over, tears practically spurting from his eyes as he tried to breath.

"Su-su-sug-!Ha! HA! HAHA!" He laughed harder and fell to the ground, banging his hands on the ground. Marinette suddenly found herself embarrassed and confused. Confused because Chat was in her house, and embarrassed because she had totally just said 'sugar snaps' in front of him in place of a curse.

Blushing furiously she kicked him lightly in the side. "Chat! Why are you here?! You gave me a heart attack!" She pouted, she knew that she had heard something upstairs, she shoulda gone with her gut the first time!

He calmed down rather quickly once he heard her talk and he looked up at her from the floor. He smiled that devilish grin and winked.

"Well little lady, I saw that you were dying of boredom and decided to keep you company!" He waited for her reaction but it was just a face that Alya had once called her 'derp face' whatever that was.

She continued to look at him and suddenly her mind flashed back to Adrien's eyes, how he had looked when she was sitting on the counter, his eyes were blazing and waiting, fearful but hopeful, all the things that could drive a girl wild. She saw some of those things in Chat's eyes, they were smoldering and they were patient, they knew more than they let on, they were wild but he still had that leash that was unobtainable by none other than Ladybug.

"You..came to keep me company?" She said quietly and watched as he got up slowly, and smiled again at her this time more calmly and less flirtily.

He nodded and placed his hands behind his head. "That's right, I figured that since today is the princess festival, I might'es well visit the princess!" Chat explained as she looked at him curiously.

"What's that?" She said as she made her way upstairs, she was feeling a little exhausted and she definitely believed that laying down would be the remedy. He followed her all the way upstairs and he laid down comfortably on her chaise as she laid on her bed, watching him the whole time.

"Didn't you hear? The mayor put together an entire week of fun for his daughter, Chloe, and today is the last day." He stretched out lazily on her chaise and smiled as he basked in the sun. "There's going to be a huge festival later tonight, with music and live performances and all that good stuff, it sounds pretty fun to me." He opened his shining eyes and looked at her, he smiled as he stared at her and it seemed to go on forever. Marinette couldn't bring herself to break eye contact with him.

She would never admit it as Ladybug, but she cared very deeply for her Silly Kitty. He was always there, no matter what she said or did, he supported her all the way. He was the light in the heavy world they as superheroes lived in. He brought jokes to the party no matter where it was, and he always managed to say something that made her smile.

No, she would never say it as Ladybug, but she could say it as Marinette, the normal girl, the one he called Princess.

"Chat?" She said quietly, but he was still focused on her, so she took that as an initiative to continue. "You mean a lot to me." His eyes became wide and he looked panicked briefly for a moment.

"You're so brave, you fight every day, and you're always put as 'sidekick'." She said, and she yawned as she did so. She wasn't oblivious to the rumors about Chat Noir only being Ladybug's sidekick, they made her angry, and she wanted to scream at those people that he meant more than they would any day.

But she couldn't.

"It's not fair," She sniffled and shut her eyes as he got up, afraid he was going to leave. "You do so much, and no one ever tells you how great you are..." She was not going to cry, but she could feel the tears gather in her eyes. "Your smile brings me happiness, you know?" She smiled as she thought about all his goofy moments. Her throat constricted in her anxiety flushed away. "You are always able to bring joy to any moment, even if its with a really cheesy pun." He probably had no idea why she was saying this because the only one who had been there for those moments was Ladybug and a few bystanders-Marinette was never one of them.

The brightness was suddenly gone from behind her closed eyelids, and she opened them slightly as she saw the black leather in front of her, and she looked up at Chat's face and found that his eyes were closed. He fell to his knees and laid his head right in front of her own, inching closer when she sat her head up. He opened his one visible eye half-lidded and looked directly into her eyes.

"No one has ever told me that." He said softly, watching her reaction as he looked into her eyes. Her throat began to quiver and she clenched her sheets in between her hands, no, no one had ever told him that, and she was so pissed off at herself for never saying those simple words to him.

"You deserve to hear those words every single day..." She had no shame as she bent down and curled her arms around his head, laying her own atop his. She didn't care what this looked like, or what insinuations might be made. She cared for Chat Noir, and there was no shame in admitting that she cared for such a wonderful person.

His hand gripped her upper arm as he shoved his face into her neck, she could hear him breathing harshly through his teeth, and knew that he was trying to get himself together.

"Your actions today just prove me right," She said, her voice small and gentle. "You came to visit me because you knew I was all alone, and you wanted to keep me company." She ran one hand up through silky hair. "You are a superhero that deserves the world," She closed her eyes as she heard his breathing return to normal. "My silly kitty..." She said into his hair, breathing in his scent as she fell asleep.

Chat Noir was beside himself as he removed her arms from around him. She was...so different...

She had been so kind to him and had told him the words that he'd been wanting to hear from Ladybug all along, and somehow it felt even better coming from someone who didn't expect the best from him every time. She only wanted him to be him, not the sidekick, not the backup, not number two.

Just Chat Noir.

He watched her for a while after that, just examining her features as they were, as she slept as if he hadn't gotten enough time looking at her almost a week ago. He was no fool, he had seen what had happened in the kitchen, well actually he had NO idea at all what had been going on-but he knew that it was going somewhere!

He was a little embarrassed about the situation and he had been churning it around in his mind all week, the way she'd looked at him with those eyes, and the way her breath ghosted across his face made him shiver. She had been so beautiful sitting there, just being herself around him for once, and it had felt nice to know that his **friend** didn't hate him, she was just a nervous ball of well, nerves!

He stood up after a while, an idea tossing in his head. He grabbed a piece of parchment paper from Marinette's desk and completely trying to ignore the pictures of himself that hung on the walls, he wrote a note to her, with his name signed at the bottom, and he smiled as he set it next to her on the bed. She looked so peaceful, and it hit him how much he truly valued Marinette-not just as his friend-but as a person in general, and that pleasantly warm feeling that overtook his chest every time he was with her made him believe that Marinette had a significance in his life that none of his other friends could hold a candle to.

She was just that sunshiny brightness that lit up his dark world.

When Marinette awoke, she was left to see the note on her side, it had a little drool on it but she could still read it no problem.

_Purrincess, when you wake up I hope that you smile at my pun._

Marinette took a moment to wipe the stupid grin off her face as she continued to read.

_I want to take you out tonight, to the princess festival, because we are pal's aren't we?_

_Be ready by 8:00, I'll be there!_

_Oh, and princess? Keep your hair down, you look beautiful with it worn that way._

_~Chat Noir (~Otherwise known as Prince Charming~)_

She completely went blank, fearing the worst she grabbed her phone from her jacket pocket and was unsurprised to find the time at 7:25.

"NO! Oh god! I still have to shower! AH! And pick out what I'm gonna wear! OH GOD, WHAT AM I GOING TO WEAR!?" Marinette screamed as she hauled butt to her bathroom and turned the spray on full blast. She didn't even notice that a particular black hoodie was missing from her room as she woke up.

15 minutes later she exited, with her hair washed and partially dried and brushed out nicely. She made for her dresser and decided that this time, she would not wear a dress out again, because that was a disaster. She pulled out some shorts with fringed tips and was happy that they went down to at least mid-thigh. She had to find a shirt now, and fast. She reached into her dresser and randomly pulled up a shirt. She stopped when she found it, not even knowing where it came from.

_Where do I get all these clothes I've never even seen before?_ She lamented over the loss of her normal pastel pink pants, but alas, today was laundry day.

The color was lavender, the same as the dress had been, and it tied around her neck, but it covered everything so she was fine with it. She went to the bathroom to change, a little fearful that Chat might come earlier than promised. If she was being honest with herself, she looked really good! She smiled at herself in the mirror and applied what little makeup she wears._** (She wears like eyeliner in the TV show, look close, you'll see it).**_

Her heart was beating away in her chest, but she knew that it was probably from the fact that she'd be blatantly going out with him as Marinette on a friendly adventure, but as Ladybug she would never even remotely consider it. When she was Ladybug it was more serious because Chat had feelings for Ladybug, and even as Marinette she knew that, and that made going out with him that much easier. Because she didn't have to be forcefully rude to him, she could just say how she felt and there would be no repercussions because, in the long run, Chat had no ties to Marinette.

Only to Ladybug.

And the thought calmed her racing heart enough for her to step out onto her balcony that evening, and grab the hand of an awaiting superhero.

"You look stunning Princess, I might just have to steal you away." He winked playfully at her and she let all those inhibitions go.

Because Chat was just a **friend.**

Nothing more. Ever.

The concert had been just as good as Chat made it out to be. Jagged Stone was playing! And he was a fan of the rockstar too! They sat on a nearby rooftop with a wonderful view, so that Chat wouldn't be swarmed by fans of his and Jagged Stones'. They listened to the Mayor talk about how wonderful and amazing his daughter Chloe was, and they both gagged as she walked on stage, the mechanical clapping of Parisians in the background.

"Now lady's and gentlemen!" Called Mayor Bourgeois out to the crowd as they quieted down. "Since today is my little girl's special day, I want you all to give her your praise and love! The fireworks will be starting shortly!" He said as he walked off stage. Chloe still stood there, waiting for her 'praise and love' but nothing came, no one but Sabrina clapped, and then everyone else just joined in afterward, so they wouldn't upset their mayor.

"Oh, can we stay for the fireworks Chat?" Marinette asked excitedly as she turned to look at him, he had his baton out.

"Of course Princess! I just have to take care of something really quickly! Be right back!" He called as he leaped from roof to roof.

Marinette sighed as she looked into her bag, finding Tikki there, and her small friend flew out slowly as she sat in Marinette's lap. "Are you excited to watch the fireworks with Chat Noir Marinette?" Her Kwami inquired as she giggled.

"Well I wanna watch them with you too Tikki." Marinette said as she watched the darkening sky, the stars were already coming out, and from what she could tell, Mayor Bourgeois must've had the city council agree to shut all the lights in the city down, because only one beacon of light was on, and that was the Eiffel Tower, the rest of the city lay in darkness, everyone was watching the fireworks. "It sure is beautiful out tonight..."

"Princess? Who are you talking to?" a voice called out from behind her and Tikki was suddenly gone from her lap but she didn't do anything but smile.

"No one, just myself," She giggled and she noticed the fairly large bag he carried at his side. "What's in the bag?" She said as he walked closer. He kneeled down and opened up the bag.

"Just a few things from my house, I didn't think that you wanted to sit on a cold roof without a blanket, so I brought my own." he pulled out a large lavish duvet and settled it onto the concrete of the flat roof. She marveled at its softness and immediately sunk into it. It smelled amazing! Just like Adrien's shirt smelled amazing, it was kinda weird how boy's always managed to smell better than girls did, but she opted for not knowing their secret.

A small looking wine bottle was held in front of her face and she looked up at Chat as he laughed. "It's not wine, its sparkling cider, it's very popular in America, or at least that's what my father said." He commented as she took it from him, she looked at it curiously and slowly but surely managed to work the cap off. She was hesitant to taste it, but when it hit her tongue she almost sighed in delight.

It tasted like heaven.

"This tastes," she took another sip from the bottle. "amazing!" he laughed and mock bowed as she fervently drank the bubbly substance.

"Why thank you Princess!" He laughed and she was brought back to her time with Adrien again. He had said those exact words to her, and he had even said them in the same tone, but...but Chat was just being himself! When Adrien said those words he was just joking around, so...another thought hit her. She was out here, having a lovely time with Chat Noir, but all she could think about was Adrien, she was angry with herself. She could think about Adrien again when she got home, right now though, this was her time to be free from thoughts that would put her into an anxiety attack.

Just as she was about to say something, overhead a loud explosion sounded and color erupted in the sky, and her attention was drawn there. She watched as the night sky was illuminated by those glorious bursts of color.

When Chat sat next to her, she could only smile, and a flush came to her cheeks as she looked up at him, and he looked at her. The loud bursts in the air didn't keep them from looking at each other, or the thoughts that came with it.

Because at the end of the day, she was just a girl, and he was just a boy, and they were both waiting for a love that would most likely never happen.

And while they had no ties to each other, that didn't mean that they couldn't pretend to be completely different people, who didn't have obligations to their hearts, who didn't have to go back tomorrow, and who wanted nothing more than to stay here, and pretend that everything was right in the world.

And as Marinette laid her head on his shoulder she couldn't help but wish that tomorrow when she woke up, she could be that person with no obligations, to anything.

For one day only, ever.

But fate had other plans for the two people who wished for nothing more than love from someone who didn't love them back.

_**I kinda liked this chapter ngl, I had fun writing the MariChat part, but at the same time I found it hard because my Adrienette was screaming at me that I was ruining shit by bringing Chat Noir in, so I slammed the door and locked it and forced myself to get a part out about my fav MBL ship.**_

_**Also, thank you so much for the follows and reviews! They mean so much to me and they definitely make me get my ass up and write, so just saying, if you ever want an update, you better review.**_

_**To ****Araceli thank you for reviewing, but no so far I don't have out a schedule, but I know that as this story goes on updates are going to be a bit slower, ya'll are just lucky that I'm in the fever right now!**_

_**Thank you all so much! Love you guys!**_


	5. Chapter 5: Roommates!

_Leaving Chat Noir had never felt so sad to Marinette, really it hadn't. But the almost tender look in his eyes had her weak in the knees and it had her wondering if what they'd gone and done tonight had meant more to him than it had to her. He had tenderly and almost regrettably dropped her off at home and he'd held her hand until she pulled away, a somber look in his eye._

_"Did I keep you good company Princess?" He said quietly as his eyes drifted across an almost completely dark Paris. He gripped his baton and stood on her hand railing._

_She smiled at him and motioned for him to come closer and grinned wider as he gave her a questionable look._

_"Always silly kitty." She giggled as she hugged him close, causing his baton to make a large clatter on the roof, he didn't move and she was happy that her parent weren't home-who knows what they'd think about seeing this. He hesitated before he gripped her back, pulling her up closer to him as he dropped from the railing. She reveled in his warmth through the leather of his suit, and let out a breath she didn't know she was holding in._

_He smelled like a normal typical teenage boy._

_Because that's what he was._

_She closed her eyes tighter as she squeezed him again._

_And people tended to forget that._

"Hey, Marinette? Are you alright?"

She snapped out of it and turned to her left, where Alya sat, a confused look on her face. She hadn't talked to Alya about the phone call the other day, because she was afraid that if she did, it would ruin her and Alya's friendship, and Alya completely acted as if it didn't happen, so that made it easier for Marinette to act like it didn't happen.

It still made her a tad bit curious, because Alya hadn't brought out her phone once, not even for her and Nino to listen to music, so it made her wonder where her best-friends phone went.

Maybe she should ask her about it? Well, maybe when they actually got back to Paris.

Yep, that's right, they were headed out on another field trip, which made Marinette groan at first, because the last time she went on a field trip, all this drama had started. Well...actually it had all started with Lila, and her lies, which still made Marinette almost lose her cool again. Lila just frustrated her to no end! The girl was sitting two rows ahead of her next to Sabrina just like when they'd gone to visit Big Ben the first time-which was where they were going again, only hopefully this time there would be no Akuma attack.

Because it would just look like Ladybug was in this class because she couldn't use the transportation excuse again when Chat Noir showed up.

"Oh, yeah I'm fine Alya, just thinking about stuff. Hey uh, where's your phone, what time is it?" She tried to save her question for later, but she couldn't do it! She had to know!

Alya looked at her in curiosity for a moment before she sighed in a depressed mood suddenly. "I lost it like two weeks ago girl! I'm just lucky that there hasn't been an Akuma attack recently before I get my new one, I might die if I miss anything!" Alya laughed kinda disappointedly as Marinette's jaw dropped. Alya had lost her phone?! That meant tha...the person that had been talking to be could in no way be her best friend, and that meant that the person who had called her, was not Alya...

"Alya! That means that you didn't call me like two Saturdays ago?" Marinette looked at her friend in desperation, hoping to everything that it hadn't been her best friend to say those cruel words to her.

Alya looked stunned and she sat up straight in her seat, causing Nino and Adrien, who sat to their left, to look over at them.

"No! I didn't even have my phone! I didn't call you!" Alya said as she looked back and forth between Marinette and Nino, who looked concerned and Adrien who looked like he was trying to find a way to input on this conversation somehow.

"Oh Alya!" Marinette threw her arms around her best friend, feeling a hundred times better about this whole situation, her bestie hadn't said those words to her!

Alya didn't seem as relieved as she did, and the second Marinette let go she quickly questioned Marinette all about it. And Marinette told her about how she'd asked her to go to Lila's party with her, and how she'd been so cruel, and how it had brought upon Marinette's recent actions about being a bit indifferent to Alya.

"No Mari, I would never do that!" Alya hugged her best friend again and Nino held her shoulder as she wiped at her eyes.

"You were my best friend when no one was there, I would never do that..." Nino hugged Alya tightly as she turned to him. Adrien crossed the aisle as they sat down together, he glanced at her and he reached for her hand. Marinette froze as his fingers grazed across the top of her hand. She looked at him as he gripped her hand tightly, she could feel her heart increase speed, and her head pounded with her heart as chills went up her spine.

"Is that why you were so overwhelmed when I found you?" He asked quietly, his voice laced with worry and concern. His eyes were shining with emotions that she haad no idea of the depth. His voice quivered just the slightest as he squeezed her hand tighter. "Marinette..." She watched his eyes again, and just as it had last time, the world seemed to disappear around her as she looked into those stunning green voids. She watched-almost in slow motion it seemed- as his hands touched her sides, slowly and tentatively as one hand glided through her hair, and pulled her flush against him.

"I had no idea..." He said, his mouth right above her ear as he pressed into her, the closeness was like a drug and it hit them both hard, they only wanted more of this feeling, it was unsatiable.

Their hearts slowed as they sat there, and they breathed in the scent of the other, wanting to stay there like that. Marinette put her arms around his waist and held him loosely, content with just letting him be her anchor for the moment. And she closed her eyes as she listened to the steady beating of his heart, smiling ever so slightly as she felt him smile against her temple.

They were unaware of the eyes that watched them, and the sounds from the outside world were deaf to them as they stayed there. Neither wanted to let go, and neither of them did, and Adrien sat back in Alya's seat, pulling Marinette with him, and she had no complaints as she sat half in his lap and half in her own seat, comfortably laying against his chest.

Adrien didn't know how to feel as he held Marinette in his arms, he felt something well within him that had his heart beating faster and the smile wouldn't leave his face, and he decided to ask Plagg about it later, instead of worrying about it now. He would hold her and he would decide how he felt later, when he wasn't so consumed by her presence. He gently ran his hands up and down her back as she sighed against him, he could feel the rush of air from her as she snuggled closer. He had no idea that part of the reason she'd acted the way she had that day had been due to some person that had been tormenting her.

He felt angry at that person, so angry that he had felt nothing but hot white when he heard the words that had been said to such a sweet and caring girl, who only wanted what was best for everyone. He had seen her expression change as she repeated the words that had been said to her, and he felt multiple pangs through the heart as her eyes became watery, and all he could do was this, be here for her.

He would always be there for her, no matter what, and he hoped that she would do the same for him.

Even as Chat Noir, he swore, he would protect this girl.

Always.

It hadn't been awkward this time when they pulled away, just two shy smiles and a quiet thank you from Marinette, and Alya's jaw on the floor as she switched seats with Adrien.

"Girl!" Alya whisper-yelled. "What was that!?" Alya looked so insanely happy, and Marinette blushed full force, for she really just had done that. She really should have stopped _thinking_ about her actions a long time ago if she'd known it would keep leading to events like this. She smiled happily at Alya and leaned down as she glanced over at Adrien, but she found him to be looking at her too and she quickly looked away, just like Adrien did embarrassed about being caught.

_WHAT WAS THAT!? _They both thought at the same time.

"Hey dude, you alright?" Nino nudged Adrien with his elbow as he noticed his friend's face turn red like no other. Adrien only nodded and smiled, not trusting his mouth right then.

"Girl, what were you gonna say?" Alya whispered, and Marinette refocused on her friend as she smiled.

"I actually have a lot more to tell you Alya, like A LOT..." Marinette said quietly and she giggled at her friend's anticipated face. Suddenly Alya smiled deviously and pulled a phone out of her pocket.

"But you said-" Alya shook her head and placed it in Marinette's hand.

"It's not mine girl." Alya laughed at Marinette's expression. "Enjoy!" Alya laughed harder as Marinette quickly opened her phone and went to camera roll.

And sure enough, many, many pictures of her and Adrien were in there, and she couldn't help but sigh in contentment as she scrolled through them. She turned and hugged her best friend as they came to a stop in the station, and she smiled happily as she caught Adrien's eye again.

The only question that she had, was how her best friend had managed to get ahold of her phone.

Looking at their hotel Marinette had deduced that their school might've loved their students just a tad too much, because this place was freaking huge!

It looked beautiful! Marinette openly gaped at the large building until Alya pulled her in by her jacket.

They gathered in the lobby and everyone was talking happily amidst themselves as Mrs. Bustier clapped to gather their attention. Marinette gazed at Adrien's back that was a little ways in front of her until Mrs. Bustier came to talking about room arrangements.

"Now class, due to our school's limited budget, we had to fudge the rules just a little," she smiled apologetically as the students gazed at her confusedly. "That means, that a couple students will have to be in co-ed rooms, because not everyone had an even number, so we paired up some boys and some girls."

"I'm room 223 we have Rose and Juleka," the two girls high-fived and stepped up to retrieve their room key. Marinette couldn't help but be happy for them, she low-key shipped them together.

"In room 456 we have Sabrina and Lila." Marinette snickered behind her hand as Lila's face contorted into agitation.

"Mylene and Ivan you will be in room 578," she handed them their room key and told them to behave. But to be fair they looked far too innocent.

_It's always the quiet ones though..._Marinette thought uneasily.

"Kim and Max, room 579," the friends gave a secret handshake and got their key.

"Nino and Alya," Mrs. Bustier smiled mischievously at Nino as he stepped forward to grab the key. "Room 708," Nino flushed at her look and turned away quickly to go to his girlfriend's side.

"Nathanial and Chloe you will be staying in room 842," Chloe openly froze and she looked like she might die. But that was before her face turned bright red and she pointed incriminatingly at Nathanial.

"Mrs. Bustier! I can't stay in the same room as some who is so unfab!" Chloe flipped her hair and Nathanial crosses his arms and looked away from Chloe.

"I agree Mrs. Bustier, staying in the same room as Chloe might damage my brain," Nathanial said and Chloe gasped at his rude comment before she silently began to fume.

"Well too bad, the rooms were decided by the principal himself, there is no changing." Mrs. Bustier said in a final tone.

_Wait_, Marinette thought as she mentally calculated all the people who came on this trip.

_That means-! _Her eyes widened as Mrs. Bustier began to speak.

"And last but not least, Marinette and Adrien, you will be on the tenth floor, per request of Mr. Agreste's assistant." Mrs. Bustier said as she nodded her head and Adrien and Marinette 's eyes shot to the others', surprise written all over their faces.

"Um Mrs. Bustier?" Adrien raised his hand as he walked closer. "Are you sure that's correct? I mean-" Mrs. Bustier silenced him with her hand.

"Yes Adrien, she was very insistent that you both be put up there, in a penthouse," Mrs. Bustier got closer to his face so no one else could see. "She sounded confident in what she was doing Adrien." She winked at the poor boy as his face contorted in many different shades of red.

"Now, here's your key card," she placed it into his limp palm and clapped again. "Everyone I expect you not to leave this hotel unless you have talked with me first, we will be having dinner at 6:30 so be on time please."

"Wait Mrs. Bustier!" Marinette called, halting their teacher. "What about Alix?" She knew that her friend's name had not been called yet.

"She has her own room her father requested it," Mrs. Bustier smiled and patted Marinette's head. "Thank you for watching out for your friends Marinette!" And that was that, everyone went to the many elevators and began to go to their rooms, their luggage in tow.

A hand touched her shoulder and Marinette followed it until she found Adrien. He smiled at her before he spoke. "Shall we get going? Princess?" He smirked and she flushed pushing him away half-heartedly as she ran for the elevator.

"Last one there gets Akumatized!" She laughed as he ran after her and she made it there just before him, playfully she tried to close the elevator on him, but he stuck his hand in just in time.

"No! The Akuma is after me!" She playfully screamed and backed into the corner with her suitcase in front of her.

"Here! Take my clothes and sketch pads! I don't need them anymore!" He laughed as she feigned fear and laid a hand over her eyes, just like last time.

"I don't want your clothes and sketch pads!" He gave an evil laugh and Marinette was so happy she could now act like this around Adrien, because even to her it was clear they were getting closer.

"I want your hair!" Marinette was dumbfounded for a second before her hair came loose from her ribbons. She laughed and playfully swatted his hands away.

"Nooooooo! Not my hair!" They both laughed as they reached the top floor, and suddenly they were looking at each other, with these smiles on their faces and a look that couldn't be placed in their eyes.

Acting more mature as they got to the and they walked down the the door on the very left in the hallway where their room was. Marinette tried to calm her flushed cheeks as she remembered how soft his eyes looked just a moment ago.

_He was looking at me like that! _She thought excitedly. She sighed dreamily internally and waited as Adrien unlocked the one of the double doors with a card rather than a key.

He shifted uncertainty as he pushed the heavy door open. Marinette gasped as she saw the interior, and then blushed furiously. This could NOT be the right room!!! There was no way!

Both her and Adrien stood in the doorway, dumbfounded as they took in the large entryway, it was so beautiful to put it simply. It was a bit much even for Adrien, and that's as saying something.

The view was simply breathtaking and the entire room was basically white. The walls were covered in expensive paintings and the carpet looked so soft. There way a 64-inch widescreen tv in the middle of the room and in front of it against the wall was a large couch.

They'd stepped inside so they could get a better look, but they both took their shoes off because they were afraid of getting the carpet dirty. Marinette dropped her bag at the door and walked into the living room with her bare feet, and the carpet felt like heaven under her feet.

She sighed as she wiggled her toes, and then giggled as she ran around the huge apartment, looking at everything. She was so excited she couldn't stop her heart from beating quickly or smile from spreading.

She got to spend quality time with Adrien! Alone with him! She got to show him that she loved him, and really...

Marinette placed a hand over her heart as she stared out the large glass window/wall.

All she wanted was to show him that she loved him, and he could break her heart, he could reject her, he could break her world into a thousand pieces.

She would still love him, no matter when she faltered, she would always love him.

She only had a tiny hope that he would actually come to love her back, but that was enough for her.

Or at least...for now...

They both missed the beautiful card that sat on the counter with the words~ _Please Enjoy the Honeymoon Suit! _On it.

Later that evening she and Adrien had been out with Alya and Nino, at the indoor basketball court. The two girls sat on the side not playing, Marinette because she was afraid she'd get hit in the head(mostly by herself) and Alya because she wanted to talk to Marinette about all the things she'd missed.

"I stayed at his house Alya!" Marinette squealed a bit too loudly and that drew the attention of the boys who were on the court. Marinette waved and apologized quietly, both the boys smiled, and went back to shooting free throws.

"I think we should go somewhere where none of the others are to talk about this!" Alya said excitedly and dragged Marinette to the door.

"Mari!" They turned just as they got to the door at the voice. "Where are you going?" Adrien and Nino jogged over to meet them by the door.

Marinette blushed at the unfamiliar pet name and she knew Alya was gonna have to do the talking this time around. Fortunately, her best friend understood that.

"We're going to the pool, we need to talk, don't worry," she said as she walked up to Nino and kissed his cheek, he grabbed her hands to keep her from backing away, she smiled mischievously at him. "We'll be back for dinner." They made googly eyes at each other and Marinette resisted the urge to do the same to the oblivious boy in front of her.

"Oh," Adrien said quietly, he looked over at Marinette and gave a soft smile as he rubbed the back of his head. "Well, I guess you need the card." He pulled it out of his pocket and held it out to her.

Marinette truly hadn't meant to do it, but she brushed hands with him, the tips of her fingers igniting a fire over his own. They both flinched at the contact and Marinette quickly grabbed the card before it could become awkward.

"T-thanks A-Adrien..." she muttered and she wished like hell that Alya would hurry her booty up! Why did she have to look at Nino for so long anyway!?

"Hey, Marinette?" She looked up tentatively and met his vibrant viridian eyes with her own shy bluebell.

"I-um...uh..." the boy looked brain dead and for a moment she wondered if something was wrong with him. They didn't notice Alya or Nino's eyes on them as they tried to have a conversation.

Emphasis on 'tried'.

"Can I have..." Adrien blushed and he looked down at his feet as he muttered a small sentence that none of them heard.

She stepped closer, fearing for his well-being now, because Adrien never acted like this, like he was embarrassed or sick.

"What?" She said quietly and stepped closer to him, getting a good look at his face, just to make sure that he wasn't sick, she wanted him to go back to the room if he was.

He looked at her for a split second before he bent down to her ear and breathing in he hastily said the words he could barely say out loud.

"...Can I hug you goodbye?" She could practically feel the radiated heat coming from his face and she felt her own increase a thousand degrees. She was struck for a moment as he pulled back and she didn't say anything for about ten seconds before he began to back away.

"It-it was stupid I'm sorry, it was an inappropriate thing to-!" Adrien gasped as he was suddenly jolted backward. He didn't have to look down to know that Marinette was there, obliging to his wish even though she didn't have to.

He hoped that she couldn't hear his heart-he was embarrassed about asking her and that was why his heart was beating so fast-he told himself.

"You don't have to ask something like that Adrien," he looked down at her, and it had never really occurred to him just how much bigger he was than Marinette. "You never have to ask that question with me." Idly he wondered what she would answer if he asked her the question on his mind.

"Why's that?" He said as he snaked his arms around her, holding her from around the waist and above her shoulders, barely touching her hair with his fingertips, he wouldn't touch it because he knew that it was probably becoming weird-his love for her hair.

He felt an exhale against his collarbone as he rested his head on top of her own.

"Because the answer will always be yes..." he could feel the warmth spread throughout his body and didn't even bother questioning his increasing heart rate.

Her words touched his heart and he'd be lying if he said that he didn't like it when she said things like that, he couldn't argue anyway-his contented heart wouldn't let him.

Being around Marinette made him feel happy, he had acknowledged this, and he hadn't felt quite this whole since he'd last been with his mother. He had never been so grateful to someone in his life. He had never been so thankful for a friend in his life.

He squeezed her once more and before he knew it Marinette and Alya were gone, and it seemed just a bit too soon.

"Dude? You okay? Or are you thinking about Marinette still, loverboy?" Nino said suggestively and Adrien threw a nearby towel at his face, he laughed as Nino gagged.

He just hoped that Marinette would always be his friend, he didn't think he could stand to lose her.

Alya and Marinette were squealing and chatting as they made their way to the elevator and just as they went to go around a corner they'd bumped into an all-too-familiar chest.

Marinette looked up and met dark green eyes, she gasped as she took in silky brown hair and everything that was Jack. He looked at her like she'd grown a second head, and she couldn't blame him.

"Jack?"

"Marinette?"

_**~*~*~*~ **_

_**Oooooo here enters future rival and my messily made OC lmao**_

_**So yeah I made them stay in the same hotel room, a girl can dream**_

_**I like to think I'll take Adrien's obviously dense brain and mush it around until he understands that the phrase 'just a friend doesn't' work with regards to Marinette **_

_**Can you wait to see what happens next? Good cause I know I can, it's gonna be painful writing this next part**_

_**Love you guys~thanks for reading this long-ass authors note!**_


	6. Chapter 6: Don't Wanna Say Goodbye

The unbelievable need to do her freak out dance had never been so apparent, but because she was so shocked and honestly a little queasy, she just looked into Jack's green eyes.

"What are you doing here?" He grabbed her arm and hefted her up, she completely forgot about Alya and focused solely on the fact that Jack was here, and that she didn't know how to feel about it.

"I could ask you the same thing," she said settling her hands on her hips. He looked taken aback before he laughed good-naturedly.

"My father owns this hotel, so for right now I'm staying here." His brief explanation was enough for Marinette, and she honestly didn't know how to feel. "I'll head back to Paris to see my mother soon though." He explained, but she was far too deep in her head to hear him.

For one thing, she felt utterly disgusted with herself, she had been treating all of her 'new' friends like she'd known them for years, and gone off and ignored people who, while they probably didn't intentionally mean to do it, hurt her, but those people were the ones that she loved. The ones that had been there through thick and thin, and she'd been angry at them, probably for a pitiful reason. But her heart had ached and her eyes had cried as her heart did when she heard those words, she couldn't stop herself.

And she'd even been all cozy with Jack before, and that wasn't fair to him or her, she'd been feeling vulnerable she'd admit, but that was no excuse for her behavior. She bit her lip as she dug her fingernails into the palm of her hand, she put on a false quick smile.

"That's cool!" She said excitedly. She wouldn't let her thoughts disrupt her good mood. "Well, I hate to make it a short meeting, but my friend Alya and I were going to go swimming." He looked like he understood and he nodded. He smiled at her and she couldn't stop the small flutter in her gut from it.

She couldn't stop the headache either.

"I hope you enjoy your swim." He opened his arms in a gesture that he was waiting for a hug. Marinette crashed into his arms, wanting to get away, and possibly throw up if given the chance. She didn't want to seem rude, however. "Can we hang out later this week though? Indila and Jasper are coming out to see me, I'm sure they'd love to see you?" Seeing Indila sounded so nice, Marinette really did like the girl, she was just awesome it was hard not to like her. she smiled slightly at the thought, but her mind was a bit too jumbled to think of everyone else right now.

She smiled as she stepped back and nodded. "Sounds like a plan! I can't wait! Just text me the details okay?" Marinette and Alya made their way around him and he only nodded as they walked away. Marinette didn't look back, feeling her throat tighten and her stomach seize, she just had to get away. This feeling was suffocating.

The heaviness that settled on her wasn't pleasant, far from it. Alya gently slung her arm over Marinette's shoulder and guided her to the elevator. "You wanna talk about it?" Alya asked quietly and Marinette shook her head slowly, she just got this feeling, and it was never good, when she was around Jack. She liked him a lot, as a friend, but she couldn't help her gut. She knew that he was a good person, but the guilty feeling that swarmed her made her feel absolutely awful.

The feeling happened from what she assumed was her guilt anyway, and it weighed heavily on her as they made it back to the penthouse.

They stayed in, and watched movies, and ate ice cream. And Marinette felt better knowing that her best friend understood how she felt.

Later when Adrien and Nino came back to the room, sweaty and satisfied, they found the girls on the couch, talking and eating ice cream. Marinette had forgotten to lock the door after her, so that's why they'd been able to get in. Adrien felt only mildly annoyed that she didn't lock it, he knew that this was a high-class hotel, but that didn't mean that weird people weren't around.

"Hey," Nino said as he flopped down next to Alya on the large couch, she immediately smiled at him and snuggled into his chest, only to quickly pull away after that, holding her nose.

"Wow, you do not smell good, no offense." She smiled gently at him and he looked only mildly hurt. "You guys should hit the showers!" Alya laughed and Marinette looked over silently at Adrien's sweaty brow and how he lifted the front of his shirt up to air out everything. She almost melted into a puddle at the sight of him. She squealed quietly into her blanketed hands and looked away from him, not wanting to be caught.

She missed his eyes glancing over her, and he smiled at her attempt to hide from him. He walked closer and just continued to watch her, he was so consumed with looking at her that he tripped over a loose pillow on the ground and fell face-first onto Marinette's chest. She screamed and he gave a quiet yell and they umped apart, both as red as cherries. Adrien had no idea how to feel, except maybe embarrassed, because..oh god! He had not meant to do that! He gritted his teeth and felt his face get redder, he could hear his heart in his ears.

Marinette thought that she was going to pass out any second now, had that actually just happened?! What a terrible thing to have happened! She covered her face with her hands and felt sweat build on her own brow. Oh god, she could just run forever, away and away and away...

"Marinette!" Adrien called and he sat up on his knees in an attempt to get closer to her, but not too close. "I am so sorry, I swear that I didn't mean to do that!" He reached out his hand and Marinette watched through a small crack in her fingers as he decided against it. Like somehow him touching her would make her angrier. Well, it would definitely make her more embarrassed. But, she didn't want Adrien to never touch her, she wanted to be able to hug him, and do things like that, without him being afraid of her reaction.

"I know," She sighed and set her hands in her lap, she didn't even care that Alya and Nino were gone now. "I know that you didn't do it on purpose." She smiled slightly but still refused to look at him. She sighed again and clenched the blanket in between her fingers, quirking one corner of her mouth.

"Does that mean that I'm forgiven?" She looked up tentatively and saw him with his hands pressed together with an innocent-looking smile on his face. She smiled and held back the urge to laugh at him, he smiled even wider and a sparkle appeared in his eye. She grabbed her blanket and threw it over his head. Sitting up she walked over to their shared room, looking over her shoulder she laughed at him and walked inside.

Thirty minutes later Adrien was taking a shower and Marinette lay on their bed, a nervous wreck with her phone in her hands.

"Oh Tikki!" She lamented, hugging a pillow to her chest. "How is this supposed to work?!" Her kwami sat on her knee, looking like she might laugh at her master any second now. "It was different before," She looked at Alya's long line of encouragement texts on her phone. "Before it was a 'sleepover'" She quoted with her fingers. "And now we'll share a bed!" She stood up hurriedly and her kwami flew up to her head.

"A BED!" Marinette gestured wildly to the large king-sized sleeping area, she groaned and fell face-first into the unbelievably soft pillows. "What am I gonna do Tikki?" Her muffled words fell on deaf ears as the bathroom door opened, letting steam out. She turned, and looked at Adrien, clad in black sweat-pants and a plain white T-shirt. Marinette felt her mouth go dry and she tried desperately not to stare at him for a prolonged amount of time. But her eyes stared at his hair, which was wet mind you, and from his hair fell drops of water and those fell underneath the collar of his shirt and those water drops went-!

_Stop it! ARGGHHHH!_ She screamed internally, after all, this fanfic was not meant for the eyes of sinners, everyone who read this fic must be so pure it's blinding.

Shaking her head she smiled dorkily at Adrien as he sat down on the bed, she was happy that this bed was so large, she wouldn't take up too much room she hoped. He smiled back, probably less idiotic looking than her own smile, and grabbed the remote from the nightstand. He flicked through channels for a while and Marinette sat back against the pillows, scrolling through her old photos, very careful to not let Adrien even get a glimpse.

What would he think if he found all those photo's of him?

She didn't even want to bear the thought, so she just sunk lower into the pillows and clicked on the album marked under 'Friends'. It was filled with all the moments they'd taken photos together, and she smiled fondly as she looked at them all. She found one that she had completely forgotten about and almost cried, this was almost two years ago, and it just never really clicked how much older she was now.

It was all of them, looking at the camera and smiling like nothing else mattered, she was right next to Adrien in this one, Alya and Nino when they'd only just began to date, and just shortly after she became Ladybug. She was blushing as she looked up at her crush and Marinette sniffled as she looked at the picture. All this time she'd tried and tried and tried to get Adrien's attention, to show him how much he meant.

But she was 'Just a friend Marinette'.

She'd even managed to grow closer with Chaton before she'd gotten closer to Adrien if she even has. She didn't think that it'd be a big deal, this whole thing. But two years have gone by, and she was going to be sixteen soon for gods sake! She never realized how much she'd have to do before everything came crashing down. She needed to capture Hawkmoth before highschool was up, no exceptions, and after that was all said and done, she'd have to give her Miraculous back, she would no longer be Ladybug, she'd have to say goodbye to Tikki, and to Chat Noir.

The thought sent a pang through her heart and she clutched at her shirt as tears welled in her eyes. She'd never thought about it like that, that she would never see either of them after that, ever again. They both meant so much to her that leaving them and never getting to see them again sounded like the worst thing in the world right now.

Her phone slipped from her hand and tears cascaded from her eyes, she gasped for breath, unbelieving that her thoughts would one day become reality and she would have to say goodbye to the only steady she'd had in a long time, the reliable. She sniffed and groaned as her head throbbed, Adrien shifted closer quickly, beginning to get worried.

"Mari, what happened?" He called but it just sounded like noise to her.

_"I love you, My Lady..."_ She sobbed again as she thought of his green eyes, of his cheesy puns and terrible flirting attempts.

"Marinette, please tell me what's wrong." It blended together and she had to wonder why his voice sounded so much like Chaton's right now.

_"Don't worry Marinette! Everything will be fine!"_ Oh, Tikki, her precious friend, and partner. She thought of Tikki's cute laugh and her mother-hen nature. A choked sound escaped Marinette's throat as she gripped her arms to herself.

She couldn't hear what Adrien was saying, but she did understand his actions. He pulled her by the hand outside, onto the balcony, and sat her in a chair. She wiped at her eyes as he crouched in front of her, concern sweeping his face. She clenched her teeth as she tried to regain her breath, embarrassed but really unconcerned about this happening in front of Adrien, her feelings were valid and she was sure that if he knew what she was thinking, he'd agree.

Her hands were warm now as Adrien held them, rubbing his thumb soothingly over her knuckles. She lowered her head, not quite sure how she was going to explain her outburst to him. She sniffed and was grateful that her tears stopped, she was sure she looked awful.

"Marinette," She slowly, albeit difficultly dragged her eyes to Adrien's own. "Are you okay?" The green in his eyes reminded her so much of Chat Noir, and her lip began to tremble as she thought of him. She shook her head 'no' and watched his eyes as they became oddly fearful. She gasped and gripped his hands back, afraid, afraid because one of these days, she'd have to say goodbye to him too, and whether she liked it or not, it would most likely be a forever goodbye.

Because if she thought about it, their lives never really crossed unless it was in school. And that wouldn't work anymore when they were adults.

"I don't wanna say goodbye..." She slurred out and she gripped his much larger palm with her own and looked out and away from those green eyes. Her eyes trailed across the horizon and she thought of the many times she and Chat Noir would sit on buildings, watching the sunset, and those moments where they would almost tip the balance of 'just friends'.

Adrien said nothing and he just sat there, contemplating for a moment, her hands firmly in his own even as she gripped them so tightly. He leaned forward and placed his head in her lap, and for a moment he looked just like her Chaton, with his blonde hair and oddly touchy nature. She gazed down at the side of his head as he began to speak.

"I know Mari," He breathed in deeply and slowly let it out as the stars began to come out. "I don't want to say goodbye either..." She doubted he knew what she was talking about, but for his words, she was grateful, even if they were empty. She stroked his head, now that her hands had been released, and felt a smile light at her face, she had been embarrassed but he didn't even care that she cried, or that she made no sense what-so-ever.

Quietly she asked, "Do you want to go back in?" and he shook his head, leaning into her hands as they sifted into soft silkiness.

"No," He lifted his eyes to her own and he just watched her for a little bit. "just a little bit longer..."

She never thought that a pair of eyes could drag her heart even further into the void that was love.

* * *

_**OOOO wow left ya there didn't I? My bad.**_

_**Sorry that it's taken me forever to update, I caught something called laryngitis, let me tell you, it ain't fun. (Insert laughing emoji)**_

_**So Yes I had Natalie meddle, forgot to mention that last chapter but Natalie is an Adrienette shipper 100%, we both are.**_

_**I'm hoping to include some more MariChat, maybe some LadyNoir in the next chapter, but to actually do it is complicated, and I've never done a Miraculous fanfic before this one so.**_

_**Did you think I went overboard with Marinette in this one? Like the way she reacted to Jack? I get the feeling that she does sometimes(being an angsty teen myself) and it is always far from pleasant.**_

_**Let me know! And also Merry Christmas since I missed it yesterday!**_


	7. Chapter 7: Falling For You

"You did not actually buy that thing. Please tell me you bought it as a gag gift to Marinette or something." Plagg said as he lounged on a pillow in the hotel room the next day.

In Adrien's hand he held a yo-yo that looked just like Ladybug's, and when it opened her signature 'bye-bye little butterfly' could be heard.

Adrien rolled his eyes at his small partners' words. No, he hadn't bought this for Marinette, this was for him, to add to his collection of Ladybug themed merch, this was one that was only sold in certain places and he hadn't been on time to get the one in Paris.

He had though gotten Marinette a gift. He had been very careful about what to get her, and he was hesitant to get her something, because for a moment it had struck him odd to want to give her a gift. But, friends give friends gifts, right? So it shouldn't be that big of a deal.

He gripped at the neatly wrapped box in his pocket and felt his resolve weaken. She wasn't in the room when he'd come back, but today Alya had told him she was going out with some friends that were here too, so he didn't worry too much.

Or at least, he tried not to.

One boring hour later he was still in the room, flipping through channels and wishing that Marinette would step through that door at any second.

_I should text her,_ he thought and then stopped himself from grabbing his phone. _No, she's fine I'm sure! Stop being so paranoid Agreste._ He sat back, but the itch in his fingers grew with every moment, he wanted to make sure she was okay, and it was okay for friends to check on friends. He drew his hands back to his sides and flopped back onto the bed, careful not to harm the gift. He closed his eyes and waited as the minutes ticked by.

He was so drawn into his thoughts that he didn't hear the door open, or the almost too quiet call of his name. He opened his eyes, feeling his paranoia get the best of him, and he grabbed his phone. He clicked on Marinette's contact and stared at her photo for just a moment, tracing her features with his eyes.

"Adrien!" He heard just outside the door, and in his panic, he dropped his phone and ran into the living room, blood jumping from the sudden intrusion and heart racing because of the voice. Marinette sat on the couch, and she was covered in mud, sticks were in her hair, and she looked positively miserable. Containing the urge to laugh Adrien stepped forward and waited until she wanted to speak, because he really didn't trust his voice right now.

"Don't look at me like that!" Marinette wailed and put her head in her hands. Adrien sat on the floor by her feet and clenched his fists so he wouldn't laugh.

"A duck attacked me on the way back..." She said quietly and Adrien couldn't help it anymore. He laughed so hard he couldn't breathe and tears came out of his eyes. A DUCK! Oh god!

"It's not funny! There was a small petting zoo and it just started chasing me!" Marinette wailed and Adrien slammed his hands into the floor, out of all the things she would say that was probably the last one he would've thought of.

"I-I'm sorry M-Mari," He took a moment to breathe before he continued, he could wait to give her his gift, after she took a shower. "Go clean up, I'll tell Alya and Nino that we'll meet them at London Eye." He said nonchalantly and he stood up, but Marinette had yet to move. He looked over at her and saw the confusion in her eyes, before it dawned on his that Alay probably hadn't told her about their plans yet.

"Oh, yeah I guess that's right," he gave a chuckle and stood in front of her again, helping her get up from the couch. "Alya and Nino wanted to go on a date to London Eye before we left, and I figured you might want to see it before we leave." He felt the back of his neck heat up, what he just told her was a lie. Alya and Nino did want to go sure, but he wanted to go with Marinette, he couldn't tell you why even if you asked because he wasn't sure himself. He just, wanted to spend some time with her, and he didn't know how to tell her that outright without making it awkward.

"Oh wow! Yes! You sound amazing! I mean! That sounds amazing!" Marinette flailed her arms and Adrien smiled, happy to know that she like the idea, and that perhaps tonight wouldn't be bad.

* * *

"Ooooo a date!" Plagg chimed as Adrien pulled his shirt over his head. The Miraculous holder rolled his eyes and grabbed a different black shirt with a white over jacket and slipped them on, it was almost time to leave. He dug through his bag for a moment before texting Nino, his best friend knew all about stuff like this, so he was sure Nino could help.

**Adrien**

_Hey, are you guys almost ready to go?_

**Nino**

_Yeah Alya is just finishing her hair, how about Marinette?_

**Adrien**

_I think she's almost done, thanks for letting us come with you guys_

**Nino**

_No prob bro, plus I'm pretty sure that it'll make Marinette's night_

Adrien didn't get to dwell on Nino's words for long, because he heard the familiar 'click' of the bathroom open, and he grabbed a black hoodie quickly from his suitcase and stepped out of their shared bedroom. He rubbed at his eyes as he stepped into the fluorescent lighting of the common room, and never did he ever think that red would look so good on someone who wasn't Ladybug.

Rippling waves of red silk, cascading down to pale and feminine feet, painted to a blood-red shimmer. Hair tied back in an elegant bun, lightly glossed lips and a beauty that rivaled his Lady any given day. He lost his breath as he stared at Marinette, wishing he could step closer, to look, to touch to really _see_, that this was Marinette. But his legs refused to work and he stood there, staring like a love-struck idiot.

She looked riveting and his hands shook with the urge to fix her hair for her, it looked way better down in his opinion, and she smiled softly at him as pink dusted her cheeks. Stepping forward she lightly scratched her cheek, she looked away from him.

"Is it too much? Alya said that I had too, she's wearing an orange one of these. Should I change? I think I may be overdoing it big time, I'll just go change into my regular clothes, it's not like anyone really cares about what I wear anyway! Just give me a minute okay I'll be right out and then we can go and-WAH!" He grabbed her arm and pulled her back from the bathroom door where she intended to change back, which he _definitely_ did not want.

"Hey, hey! It's okay!" He laughed as her face turned an even deeper shade of pink, and he slid his hands to her upper-arms easily, pulling her closer, to smell that subtle waft of perfume that she was wearing.

"You look beautiful Marinette, I mean that," She looked like she wanted to run away, flustered and not at all prepared for his words. "If anything I should be the one who changes." He chuckled as she flailed her arms at him, or tried to anyway, he was still firm on his grip. "Let's go okay?" His eyes softened as he guided his hands along the soft and untouched skin of her arms, carefully, gratefully.

She didn't make any move against him and that gave him all the confidence in the world. Skimming along her forearms he heard the muffled yet distinct shiver come from her even as he watched her shining oceanic eyes. He touched her hands with warm fingertips and trailed them slowly to her hips, where he laid them gently over curves that went untainted by the hands of man, since the day she had been brought into this world.

Slowly, he pulled her forward, towards him, as his hands moved behind her back, encircling her, protecting her. As Chat Noir, he didn't have much influence over Marinette, or her life, but as Adrien, he was here, he was real and she knew him without that mask, no matter how much he loved wearing it. He was scared to engage her sometimes as Adrien, because as Adrien he had to step up to his mistakes, own up to the things that he said and did. As Chat Noir, he could look into those blue eyes without feeling like he was committing a huge crime against his heart, or how he could hurt his friend by the things he would do.

KNOCK! KNOCK! The door was being pounded against and it sent Adrien and Marinette flying away from each other, faces red and hearts racing.

"We-um-we should get going..." Marinette said and she didn't meet Adrien's eyes until they made it to London eye, thirty awkward minutes later.

* * *

A nudge and he was right next to her ear. "Do you think something happened?" They both glanced over their shoulders, and they saw their friends confused and dazed expressions.

"Oh most definitely, there's no way that something didn't happen!" She said quietly, not wanting to be overheard by their two best friends.

"What should we do? I don't want my bro to be sad all night, he looks like a kicked puppy..." **(or kitty MWAHAHAHA)**

"I agree, what do you have in mind before I give you my brilliant idea?" She smirked at him and wrapped her arm around his as they continued to wait in line.

"You sly fox, you know what I'm thinking already."

"Of course I do my slow turtle, now, how will we get them in one by themselves?"

"I've got you covered babe."

(I know that typically one capsule holds 25 people at London Eye, but bear with me here, just pretend that the people who manage it are major AdrienEtte Shippers, such as myself, and they want our babies together-alone-*cough* okay you can continue reading now!)

"How many?" Asked a woman in her twenty's who would tell you when you could or couldn't get on the giant Ferris Wheel.

Nino and Alya both leaned over and whispered to the lady and after a moment she looked over their heads and hearts grew in her eyes. "Is that Adrien Agreste!?" She squealed and Nino and Alya shared a concerned look before nodding.

"I can get you one of his shirts if you let those two have their own capsule along with us." He pointed to himself and Alya after gesturing to Marinette and Adrien.

She nodded excitedly and told them to hurry, Nino turned and grabbed Adrien's arm and Alya grabbed Marinette's, they threw them n front of them and the woman quickly pressed the 'Door Close' button, trapping Marinette and Adrien inside.

"That's how it's done." The fist-bumped as they watched their friends go up.

* * *

"Oh, those two!" Marinette pressed herself against the glass as she watched Alya and Nino fist-bump. She heard a light sound, one that she would never forget. Adrien was laughing, and hard as they continued to go up, and He sat on the bench that was in the middle of the capsule. She smiled and found herself internally berating about how she could let this awkward situation go on for so long. It didn't have to be that way, she was just confused and her heart ached at her because he kept, he kept teasing her with empty promises that he wasn't saying.

And it hurt so bad because he didn't even know he was doing it.

"Adrien..." Would she really tell him? Did she dare? To really say those words to him?

Green eyes, so beautiful, they were the ones that kept her up late at night, the ones that she dreamt about, fantasized about, the ones she wouldn't mind drowning in.

Breathless already, she didn't dare let her eyes leave his, afraid that if she did, she would lose it, she would tell herself that there was always next time, but no, next time wasn't going to be a thing this time, she was going to tell him, right here and now.

"I-I," _Breathe, it's time._ "I have something, something that I've wanted to tell you for a very long time," She held her breath as her heart clenched painfully in her chest, seizing movement from her even as he stood, not daring to lose that unspoken connection.

Soft, and undoubtedly uncharacteristically she held her hands in front of her, shoving down her fear of the unknown that she was about to walk into.

"I've been keeping it all to myself, for so long." Her chest hurt, because she knew he didn't feel the same, her stomach lurched because she knew what would happen, she knew what was coming and she shoved forward.

"It's not fair to you, to have to give me an answer," She sniffed and she tried desperately to hold onto her tears, "so I won't ask for one..." Her teeth chattered and her hands hurt from how hard she wrung her fingers.

She was probably droning on yeah, but the sooner those words came out of her mouth, the sooner she'd have to admit that she ruined something extraordinary, and she would never get it back. The sky exploded behind her in reds and oranges as a strange evil presence took over London behind them. It was too late as a large boulder was hurled at London Eye and Marinette lifted her eyes, determined and overflowing with tears.

"I love you." just as her back connected with the glass behind her and she fell, oh so slowly toward the ground, Adrien saw those words leave her lips.

Blood rushing and heart pumping he jumped, the powerful words of "Plagg claws out!" leaving his mouth as he continued to stare into beautiful bluebell eyes.

This akuma would either be the death of them, or the one that brought them together, only fate could tell.

_**Hi, there loyal readers who for some reason like the trash I write!**_

_**This is a huge point in the story, and after this, I can't promise a whole lot of happy for maybe one or two more chapters**_

_**Well, she told him, but at what cause? *Dramatic Sigh* Well at least Adrien is being less of a dense idiot, anyone else agree?**_

_**And side note who else is unbelievably pissed to know that we have to wait almost a whole year for more Miraculous episodes, I want to cry ngl.**_

_**But I am excited for the movie!**_

_**Review and Tikki will share her macaroons with you!**_

_**Adrienette forever bitches**_


	8. Chapter 8: Your Call

_What was this?_ She thought, her eyes filling with tears. Why were those eyes, the ones that she knew so well, so far away. So different, so unreal, so wrong. This wasn't right. He wasn't supposed to be here, but he was hurdling toward her, eyes wild and arms outstretched. Adrien, was the one behind that mask, behind those eyes, behind those feelings. It had all been Adrien. Every little glance, little lingering touch, flirty words that echoed in her head when she couldn't sleep.

Her mind couldn't think about this, it wanted to know what had happened. Why London was in danger, what had ruined the one chance that she had. Why she was being thrown toward the ground, and why she couldn't form the words 'Tikki, spots on!' While he was watching. Was it because above all else, she was supposed to keep her identity top priority, or was it because she knew that after all this time, and everything that had happened, she would have to own up, to admit, and to be blamed.

"Marinette!" He screamed, and he sounded panicked, and scared, but her eyes were empty. Unsure of what to do, of how to feel. Her body was limp and she barely let her hand out, to just barely graze his own, before she slammed into the water beneath her, breathless and powerless. Suffocating, and yet it seemed like she had all the space in the world, endless, and hers for the taking, if only she closed her eyes, just for a moment, and let the darkness take her.

She was wrenched roughly from the expanse of water with a sharp gasp from the person holding her.

"Marinette!" He screamed again, she didn't open her eyes, wanting to go back. She didn't want to see him, to know who he was, she wasn't ready for that yet. She wished beyond anything that she hadn't seen him transform, that she could've just kept her mouth shut, held those feelings inside. She didn't want him to get hurt because of her ignorance, or because of his own stupidity, this situation would reflect badly, and it would never lead to something good, not now. They weren't ready.

Lips slanted across hers in a rushed and heated breath of air as it pumped into her lungs. She opened her eyes, and looked at his scrunched face, sopping and tight with water and worry. He hated water, so much, and he had saved her, because she knew that on her own she never would have come out of that water, not by herself.

"Chat?" A hushed whisper as she pulled away from those cold lips, her throat was scratchy her eyes were wet, and her heart hurt. His eyes, those green, were welling with tears of their own, and he breathed quickly before pulling her to him, shaking and tense. The area around them was ruined. Bits of debris and concrete practically flooded the streets, people could be heard screaming, but right now, her Ladybug senses were being put on a halt.

"A-Adrien..." Why did her chest hurt so much? Why was she holding back a sob? There were too many questions on her mind, and too few answers. Wrong, all of this was wrong. Yet she couldn't bring herself to move away from him, from the near-silent sobs that racked through him, from the thought that the boy holding her was the one person she had wished would do so, for what felt like the longest time.

"N-no, t-this..." A loud rumble shook the ground, and the sounds of buildings and homes collapsing was but a silent reminder in the back of their heads. This, right here was more important, he was more important, she was more important. With a flick of her lucky charm, it would all go back to normal, and everyone who had been harmed would be perfectly fine. Her head was aching, yet the twitching mess that came from her bag told her that she had other problems to deal with. With what little strength remained in her body, she shoved him away, and with a look of absolute contempt for herself, she shouted the words that would break that already broken look in his eyes further.

"Tikki!" Another explosion, that dull thrum. "Spots on!" No fancy moves, no confidence, just a numbness that clung to her with fervor.

She couldn't bring herself to look at the tears in his eyes. "My..." Hurt washed over him, and she could see it clear as day. "My lady?" disbelief was evident in his tone, and she could only close her eyes and hope, that by the end of this, she would never ever have to see that look ever again. The feeling crashed into her with a pain that of which she had never felt before, it was like being stabbed she imagined, and the feeling was far from pleasant. Clenching her teeth together, to keep her mouth shut, she could only hope that he would work with her to defeat this evil, one last time, before they would have to give their Miraculouses back.

"Chat, please," She whimpered, and she hated so much, how her voice sounded. So pitiful, needy, because she needed him to forget, to try to push it away, because it would make it easier on her.

Selfish.

He stood, shakily, and she saw, just barely, how he grabbed at his heart, clawing at the indestructible fabric that lay there. Her body, it felt light as she swung out her yo-yo, drawing towards a building that was far away. The sky, it looked so red, so bloody. She wanted to cry, but this feeling in her chest, it was just awful, it was eating her alive, and she wasn't too clear if that was a bad thing.

This whole place, all these people, they were suffering. And it was all her fault. She should've thought this through. Hawkmoth's Kwami Nooroo, surely had felt them leave Paris, and together no less. Hawkmoth had attacked here, because he knew that they would be vulnerable. A sentimonster raged in the far streets, and so it appeared he brought Mayura to join them as well. A black blur zoomed to her side and she almost gasped, she had thought that surely he would abandon her, too hurt to try and help a liar, a person who wasn't worthy of this Miraculous.

Their eyes met, and she wanted to look away. She wanted to be better for him. She wanted to be a better Ladybug, a better Marinette, but now he knew, and his judgment was weighing heavily on her. No matter what he thought, those eyes just looked awful right now, there was no boyish smile to accompany him. She didn't want to look at him and know that she wasn't good enough, because she knew that she wasn't, that somewhere, she could've been more supportive, more heroic, more kind, more...

Less of herself, she should've been less of herself.

Then this wouldn't have happened.

Then maybe this would be a happy reveal.

But her luck wasn't that good.

She wasn't that good.

It was all her fault.

* * *

"Nooroo!" The call of his master made his body ache. He held the pin in his small hands. He would stop this, because no matter the intentions his master had, he was hurting people intentionally. He couldn't condone that thing any longer. Hawkmoth, the wielder of the Butterfly Kwami wasn't meant to be evil, but his master's tainted heart had made him this way, his wish while noble, wasn't one that was worth all this pain.

The Kwami zipped away, as fast as he could, Ladybug was near, and he had to get to her, fast. The effects of abandoning his master, of disobeying his master, were beginning to take effect and he could feel the pain that radiated from his core. If Ladybug helped him, then she could turn this all back, and Nooroo could be free yet once again. It had felt like such a long time since he had been addressed with warmth, with a smile, with a blissfully light heart.

_Ladybug _he thought_,_ he gave a quiet groan as he saw the zipping suits of black and red coming towards him, a small smile flickering on his face.

He could make it all go back, all this destruction, all this pain. Master Fu **(AN YES BITCHES I BROUGHT HIM BACK FROM HIS ADORABLE OLD PEOPLE ROMANCE FOR THIS COME AT ME!)** would know what to do, with the help of the snake Miraculous, he knew that Ladybug could put everything back, because the people of London now knew the fear that came with Hawkmoth, and he didn't want them to live that way the rest of their lives. it was an unsightly way to live. He would know.

He would no longer be under the influence of such a master, one who didn't want to treat him with kindness and love like the other Kwamis had with their masters.

"Ladybug..." He weakly called, and the energy seemed to be zapped from him entirely, and he began to fall, clutching to the butterfly miraculous tightly.

He could make out the vague calls of his name, from Ladybug and his master, but he just hoped that Chat Noir didn't see his master. He knew too well what would happen to that poor boy's heart should he see who was behind that mask. He begged the goddesses above that he could just give her the pin, and that everything would be alright, and those two could go back to normal lives before the end of the day.

"Nooroo, are you alright?" Ladybug called to him and he smiled, he held out the pin to her, and he felt his eyes flutter, he just needed her to put the pin on, she didn't even have to activate it, she just needed to share her life energy with him. With shaking fingers Ladybug took the pin from him, and silently he watched as she began to attach it to her neck. A clawed hand grabbed her, and although Nooroo couldn't make out the words, he knew that her partner didn't want to let it happen. He watched as Chat Noir began to furiously yell at her, yanking her by the arm so she was right in his face, and she yelled right back.

_No,_ he thought solemnly._ Don't yell, don't fight, please..._

If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, Nooroo highly doubted that he would believe it, but right there in front of him was Chat Noir passionately kissing Ladybug, and she kissing right back. Such a sight may be the last that he saw, but he knew that looking at these two heroes, even without his existence they would win the war. The click of the pin on Ladybug's suit made him snap up from the amount of life he felt flooding into him. He and Tikki were both seeking power from Marinette now, and while he knew she could handle quite a bit, it still worried him to do this to her.

"U-use your m-miraculous l-ladybug..." It hurt to speak, but now was a matter of time, and whether he could actually do this. He needed to save this land, but he didn't know what it would mean for him, should he have to go back to his master.

He was passed over onto the warm leather of Chat Noir's suit, and as he cracked his eyes open he could only think that the color red had never looked so beautiful. As it flew about everything, clearing the debris and placing things where they belonged. People cried with joy as their city was once again restored to its' rightful glory. The only reason that she had been able to use her Miraculous Ladybug was because Hawkmoth didn't have his Miraculous right now, and thus the Akuma could no longer draw power from Nooroo, effectively labeling them as powerless once again. **(AN: I know that's not how it works in the show, but this is my show, and I shall run it how I please, jk jk love you guys)**

With a weak smile, he closed his eyes and sunk into the darkness, allowing himself to fall to the cries of joy.

* * *

"You did it." His voice had never sounded so sad to her, never so accepting of their fate. She wanted to cry, god she wanted to cry. To just run to him, say 'Spots off' and for once be the normal girl that she tried to fit into. But, it couldn't be, never would it be, not anymore. She couldn't play two sides to the same game anymore. She couldn't be Marinette and Ladybug. She was just this girl now, she didn't even know what to call herself anymore. She didn't know what to call him anymore. Chat Noir, or Adrien?

"My Lady..." A hand settled on her shoulder and she closed her eyes, taking a breath. The wind seemed so nice from up here, raking through her hair, pushing against her. It was almost as if it was telling her to get away from the edge of this building.

He didn't get to continue, for before them a portal appeared and through it walked their Master. Chat's hand slipped from her shoulder, and they turned, a solemn look in their eyes as they watched him step closer, his hand out and waiting. They knew the price, and they had to pay in full. First, Chat handed Nooroo to their master's awaiting hand, and she unclipped the pin with tears gathering in her eyes. She knew that someday she'd have to let go, she just never thought that it would be so soon.

"You know what must be done," Their master turned his head away and with it, she felt more shame fill her, embarrassment that they'd allowed it to go this far, and regret because never would they know what truly connected them in this world.

"You have two choices, your fate will be forever altered should you choose to follow them." She knew it, here it came, the hard part, the one she would forever regret no matter what path she chose.

"You can give me your miraculous, and return to your lives, knowing the other's identity, or," Standing next to him, Ladybug felt Chat's hand slip into her own, and he intertwined their fingers, making her choke on her sob as it threatened to rip from her. "you keep your superhero identity's, but you will not remember today." She sucked in a breath and tears began to fall, she hated this, she hated these rules. She finally knew what she wanted in this life, not with those undertones that always held her back, because now she knew, but it was all still so far out of her reach. She had a feeling that Adrien was feeling the same way.

"Your call my lady..." She looked up at him through swimming eyes and sniffed, but all he did was smile fondly at her, and he stroked her cheek, pulling her forward and into him. "Whatever you choose, I will always be by your side, I will always love you, mask or no." And with those words came a kiss and the call of a regretful 'Second Chance!' that sent them spiraling back into normalcy.

* * *

**I know, I suck majorly. Just read it, the reason it took me forever to get out was that I hated it so much, but now we have to get back on track! Look forward to the next update! (DOn't hATe on MEeeeee)**

**-lovesnaruto7**


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